hap6 gaa1闔家阖家
Jyutpinghap6 gaa1
Yalehahp gā
Definition
One's whole family.
neutralfamily
How it's used
Carries a formal and respectful tone, often appearing in greetings, holiday blessings, or written invitations. It implies a sense of unity and collective well-being that makes it sound more sophisticated than simply saying 全家. While it can be used in spoken conversation, it is most frequently encountered during festive occasions like the Lunar New Year.
Examples
Wishing your whole family peace and good health.
My whole family is going for dim sum tonight.
Related words
Common phrases
peace and safety for the whole family
family happiness
Common mistake
Avoid using this in casual, everyday situations where you are just talking about your family members individually, as it can sound overly formal or even slightly stiff in a relaxed setting.
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.
