zing3 jat6正日
Jyutpingzing3 jat6
Yalejing yaht
Definition
The exact day of a festival, holiday, or event.
colloquialtimefestival
How it's used
Focuses specifically on the calendar date of an event rather than the period surrounding it. It is most frequently used for traditional festivals like Mid-Autumn or Lunar New Year, where celebrations often span several days. Using this term clarifies that you are referring to the precise day marked on the calendar.
Examples
Will you go home for dinner on the actual day of Mid-Autumn Festival?
We decided to celebrate the birthday on the actual day.
Related words
Common phrases
the actual day of one's birthday
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the general concept of a date, as it is strictly reserved for festivals, birthdays, or anniversaries. It cannot be used to refer to a random appointment or a generic calendar date.
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.
