mei5 lei6 gin1 hap6 zung3 gwok3美利堅合衆國美利坚合衆国
Jyutpingmei5 lei6 gin1 hap6 zung3 gwok3
Yaleméih leih gīn hahp jung gwok
Definition
United States of America
writtenplaces
How it's used
This term is the formal, full name of the country and is primarily used in official documents, news reports, or formal writing. In daily spoken Cantonese, people almost exclusively use 美國 to refer to the country. Using the full name in casual conversation sounds overly pedantic or like you are reading from a textbook.
Examples
He is going to travel to the United States of America next month.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this full name in casual settings where it sounds unnatural. Stick to 美國 for all everyday interactions.
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.
