zi3 jyun6志願志愿
Jyutpingzi3 jyun6
Yaleji yuhn
Definition
Voluntary; stemming from one's own intentions.
neutralpeopledaily actions
How it's used
Distinguish between the formal sense of voluntary organizations and the personal sense of doing something by one's own choice. While often used in professional or institutional contexts, it is perfectly acceptable in daily speech to describe someone acting of their own free will. It carries a slightly more serious or formal weight compared to simply saying you want to do something.
Examples
He is participating in this activity voluntarily.
Are you volunteering to help out?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 自願. While they share the same meaning, 志願 is more commonly associated with organized groups or formal intentions, whereas 自願 is used more broadly for any personal decision to act.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
