jyu4 gun3魚貫鱼贯
Jyutpingjyu4 gun3
Yaleyùh gun
Definition
One by one in an orderly line; in single file.
writtenpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Describes a formal or literary sense of movement where people follow each other in a continuous, orderly line. It is rarely used in casual, everyday speech and carries a slightly descriptive or narrative tone. You will most often encounter it in news reports or formal descriptions of processions.
Examples
The people walked into the venue one after another in an orderly fashion.
Are they queuing up to enter one by one in an orderly way?
Related words
Common phrases
to enter one after another in an orderly fashion
to exit one after another in an orderly fashion
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simple sequential markers like 一個個, as 魚貫 specifically implies a sense of disciplined, orderly procession rather than just individual sequence.
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.
