miu5 zung1秒鐘秒钟
Jyutpingmiu5 zung1
Yalemíuh jūng
Definition
Second; a unit of time equal to one-sixtieth of a minute, used with cardinal numbers.
colloquialtime
How it's used
Use 秒鐘 specifically when counting the duration of an event or specifying a quantity of time. While 秒 can refer to the unit of time in a general sense or on a clock face, 秒鐘 is the standard way to express a specific number of seconds elapsed. It functions as a noun phrase rather than a standalone unit marker.
Examples
This movement only took two seconds.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use 秒鐘 when reading a digital clock or referring to the exact second hand position, as 秒 is preferred in those technical or observational contexts.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
