hei2 zung1起鐘起钟
Jyutpinghei2 zung1
Yalehéi jūng
Definition
To start counting time, typically for services charged by the hour.
colloquialworkmoney
How it's used
Primarily used in service industries where customers pay by the hour, such as massage parlors, karaoke rooms, or private tutoring. It marks the exact moment the service provider begins charging the client for their time. It implies a formal start to a billable period rather than just a casual start to an activity.
Examples
The therapist starts the timer the moment they enter the room.
Have we already started the timer?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply starting a clock or a stopwatch in a casual setting. It carries a specific commercial connotation of billing and service duration.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
