nin4 co1年初
Jyutpingnin4 co1
Yalenìhn chō
Definition
Prefix added before numbers from one to ten to refer to dates in the first month of the lunar calendar.
colloquialtimefestival
How it's used
This prefix is exclusively used for the first fifteen days of the Lunar New Year. It functions as a time marker that replaces the standard way of counting days in other months. Once the date passes the fifteenth day, people stop using this term and revert to the standard lunar date format.
Examples
Which day of the Lunar New Year do you have to go back to work?
Let's go for dim sum on the third day of the Lunar New Year.
Related words
Common phrases
the first day of the Lunar New Year
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this for dates in other months, but it is strictly reserved for the first lunar month. Do not attempt to use it for dates like the second or third month of the year.
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.
