tin1 zyu2 gaau3天主教
Jyutpingtin1 zyu2 gaau3
Yaletīn jyú gaau
Definition
Roman Catholicism or the Roman Catholic Church.
neutralpeople
How it's used
Distinguishing between 天主教 and 基督教 is crucial in Hong Kong, as 基督教 is used specifically to refer to Protestantism rather than Christianity as a whole. When someone says they go to a church, they are usually referring to a Protestant church, whereas those attending a Catholic church will explicitly identify as 天主教徒. This distinction is deeply embedded in local social and educational institutions.
Examples
Her whole family are Catholics.
Do you know where there is a Catholic school?
Related words
Common phrases
Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong
Catholic school
Common mistake
Avoid using 基督教 as a catch-all term for all Christian denominations, as this will confuse local speakers who treat the two as distinct religious categories.
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.
