jin4 ji4然而
Jyutpingjin4 ji4
Yaleyìhn yìh
Definition
But; however; yet.
writtencommunication
How it's used
Although 然而 is widely understood in Hong Kong, it is almost exclusively found in formal writing or news broadcasts. In everyday spoken Cantonese, native speakers use 但係 or 不過 to express contrast. Using 然而 in casual conversation sounds stiff and unnatural, as if one is reading from a textbook or a formal speech.
Related words
Common phrases
however, it is not the case
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 然而 in casual speech because they see it in written materials. Stick to 但係 for all daily interactions to sound natural.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
