ziu3 gai3照計照计
Jyutpingziu3 gai3
Yalejiu gai
Definition
Normally; supposedly; as expected under normal circumstances.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
Expresses a logical expectation based on common sense or prior knowledge. It often carries a sense of slight surprise or confusion when the actual outcome deviates from what was anticipated. It is frequently paired with particles like 喎 or 㗎 to soften the tone or signal a contradiction.
Examples
Normally, he should be coming to work today.
Supposedly, there shouldn't be this many people queuing here.
Related words
Common phrases
supposedly speaking
Common mistake
Avoid using this to mean 'according to a plan' or 'as scheduled', as it refers to general logic rather than a fixed timeline. For scheduled events, use 預計 or 按計劃 instead.
Grammar color guide
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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).
