jung6用
Jyutpingjung6
Yaleyuhng
Definition
Usefulness; utility; the ability to serve a purpose or help achieve a goal.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
Focus on the distinction between having a function and being effective. When describing something that is helpful or serves a purpose, use 有用, whereas something that serves no purpose is 冇用. It is frequently used in questions to challenge the practicality of a suggestion or an object.
Examples
Is this method actually useful or not?
The thing you bought is completely useless.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using 用 as a standalone adjective to mean useful, as it functions primarily as a verb or a noun component. Always pair it with 有 or 冇 to express the state of utility.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
