laan4 gon1闌干阑干
Jyutpinglaan4 gon1
Yalelàahn gōn
Definition
Railing; banister; balustrade.
neutralhomeplaces
How it's used
欄杆 is the standard term for a railing or balustrade found on balconies, staircases, or bridges. While 闌干 is a literary variant often seen in classical poetry to describe things that are crisscrossed or scattered, it is rarely used in modern spoken Cantonese to refer to physical structures. Stick to 欄杆 for everyday communication to avoid sounding overly formal or archaic.
Measure word
tiu4條tìuhRelated words
Common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse 欄杆 with 欄柵, which specifically refers to fences or gates. Using 闌干 in a casual conversation will likely confuse listeners as it is primarily a literary term.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
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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.
