tin1 gwong1天光
Jyutpingtin1 gwong1
Yaletīn gwōng
Definition
To dawn; the break of day.
colloquialtimedaily actions
How it's used
Refers specifically to the moment when the sky begins to brighten, marking the end of the night. It is frequently used in the context of staying up all night, often paired with 玩 or 做嘢 to describe activities that last until sunrise.
Examples
We hung out until dawn before going home.
Why is it still not dawn yet?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the noun 天光日, which refers to daytime or daylight hours. Using 天光 as a verb requires it to function as a predicate, so it cannot be modified by adverbs like 好 or 幾.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
