soeng1 gaak3相隔
Jyutpingsoeng1 gaak3
Yalesēung gaak
Definition
To be separated by a distance in time or space.
neutraltimeplaces
How it's used
Focuses on the gap between two points, whether that is physical distance or a duration of time. It is often used in formal writing but remains perfectly acceptable in spoken Cantonese when describing intervals. When discussing time, it frequently pairs with 咗 to emphasize the duration that has elapsed.
Examples
We haven't seen each other for five years.
How far is your home from your office?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe people being separated from each other in a relationship, as that would require words like 分開. It strictly refers to the distance or time interval between two entities or events.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Connector
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
