jat1 ziu1一朝
Jyutpingjat1 ziu1
Yaleyāt jīu
Definition
One morning; also used to mean once, suddenly, or in a single day.
- one morning; a single day
- literaryonce; overnight; suddenly; in a very short time
colloquialtime
How it's used
Often carries a sense of suddenness or unexpected change, frequently appearing in the idiom 一朝得志. It emphasizes the transience of time or the abruptness of a shift in fortune. While it literally refers to a single morning, it is commonly used metaphorically to describe a short, transformative period.
Examples
I woke up one morning and realized my wallet was gone.
Related words
Common phrases
to get rich overnight
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Mandarin usage of 一朝, which is often used in literary contexts to mean 'one day' or 'once'. In Cantonese, it is specifically tied to the morning or the suddenness of an event.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Particle
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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.
