jat1 go3 zung1一個鐘一个钟
Jyutpingjat1 go3 zung1
Yaleyāt go jūng
Definition
One hour.
colloquialtime
How it's used
While literally meaning one clock, this is the standard way to express a duration of one hour in daily speech. It is much more common than using the formal unit 小時, which sounds slightly stiff or academic in casual conversation. You can also replace the number to indicate other durations, such as 兩個鐘 or 半個鐘.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the word for clock or watch, which is also 鐘. Context usually makes it clear, but note that 鐘 as a duration is always preceded by a number and often followed by the particle 嘅 if used as an adjective.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
