ng5 gaan1午間午间
Jyutpingng5 gaan1
Yaleńgh gāan
Definition
Noon; midday; the afternoon period.
neutraltime
How it's used
午間 is a more formal or journalistic way to refer to the midday period compared to the everyday term 晏晝. It is frequently encountered in media contexts, such as news broadcasts or business schedules, where a slightly more professional tone is required. You will rarely hear it used in casual, spontaneous conversation between friends.
Examples
Has the midday news finished airing yet?
He usually doesn't go home for lunch at midday.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 午間 as a direct synonym for lunch or the lunch break, but it specifically refers to the time of day rather than the meal itself. Use 晏晝飯 or 午飯 when talking about the act of eating.
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.
