gwok3 wan4國魂国魂
Jyutpinggwok3 wan4
Yalegwok wàhn
Definition
National spirit
writtenother
How it's used
Refers to the intangible essence or pride of a nation, often invoked in contexts of patriotism, cultural heritage, or historical identity. It is a formal and somewhat lofty term that is rarely used in casual daily chatter unless discussing art, literature, or political discourse. Using it in a mundane setting can sound overly dramatic or ironic.
Examples
This movie is full of national spirit, it made me tear up.
Do you think this performance expresses the national spirit?
Related words
Common phrases
promote the national spirit
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a common word for patriotism like 愛國, but 國魂 is much more abstract and poetic. It describes the soul or spirit of the nation itself rather than the feeling of loving one's country.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
