lai5 gam1禮金礼金
Jyutpinglai5 gam1
Yaleláih gām
Definition
Bride price; money given by the groom to the bride's family as a gift during marriage.
neutralfamilymoney
How it's used
Refers specifically to the traditional monetary gift given by the groom to the bride's family during the betrothal process. While modern couples often negotiate this amount together, it remains a culturally significant part of the wedding preparations in Hong Kong. It is distinct from the red packets given to guests or the money exchanged during the wedding banquet.
Measure word
bat1筆bātExamples
How much bride-price do they have to pay for their wedding?
Both sets of parents have already agreed on the amount of the bride-price.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 賀禮, which refers to the monetary gifts or presents given by wedding guests to the couple to congratulate them.
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.
