ji4 gaa1而家
Jyutpingji4 gaa1
Yaleyìh gā
Definition
Now, at present, or at this very moment.
colloquialtime
How it's used
Use this term to refer to the exact moment of speaking, functioning as a temporal adverb. It is the standard way to express 'now' in daily conversation, replacing the more formal 現在 found in written Chinese. When emphasizing the current era or modern times, speakers often switch to 今時今日 instead.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using it as a conjunction to mean 'and' or 'furthermore', as learners sometimes confuse it with the written Chinese conjunction 而.
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.
