jat6 gaan1日間日间
Jyutpingjat6 gaan1
Yaleyaht gāan
Definition
Daytime; the period of time between sunrise and sunset.
neutraltime
How it's used
Formal in nature, this term is primarily used in professional or administrative contexts such as business hours, contact information, or official schedules. In casual, everyday speech, native speakers almost exclusively prefer the term 日頭. Using 日間 in a relaxed conversation can sound slightly stiff or like you are reading from a document.
Examples
He usually works at the office during the day.
Do you have time to come out for tea during the day?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 日頭, which is the standard colloquial noun for daytime. Using 日間 in casual conversation is not grammatically incorrect, but it creates an unnatural, overly formal tone that sounds out of place.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
