gwo3 jat6 zi2過日子过日子
Jyutpinggwo3 jat6 zi2
Yalegwo yaht jí
Definition
To live; to get by; to pass one's days.
colloquialdaily actionspeople
How it's used
This phrase carries a specific nuance of managing one's daily existence, often implying a sense of routine or the passage of time. It is frequently used to describe the quality or style of life rather than just the act of being alive. While it can be used neutrally, it often appears in contexts discussing how people cope with their circumstances or maintain their household.
Examples
The couple lives a simple and quiet life.
How do you plan to live your life?
Related words
Common phrases
to live a good life
to live a simple, uneventful life
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal translation of 'passing days' or 'spending time' in a casual sense, but it specifically refers to the long term process of living and maintaining a lifestyle. It is not used for simply killing time or waiting for an event to pass.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
