jau1優
Jyutpingjau1
Yaleyāu
Definition
Excellent; fine; performing very well.
neutraldescriptions
How it's used
Primarily functions as a bound morpheme in Cantonese rather than a standalone adjective. It appears most frequently in formal compounds or set phrases to describe high quality or superiority. When speakers want to describe something as good or excellent in everyday speech, they typically use 好 or 正 instead.
Examples
He has many merits and is worth learning from.
The teaching staff at this school is of high quality.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using it as a standalone adjective to describe a person or object in casual conversation, as it will sound unnatural or overly literary. It is almost always paired with other characters to form compound words like 優點 or 優質.
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.
