zo2 jau6左右
Jyutpingzo2 jau6
Yalejó yauh
Definition
About; approximately; used after a quantity or entity to indicate an estimate.
colloquialtimenumbers
How it's used
Positioning is critical because it must follow the quantity or time phrase it modifies. It functions as a post-modifier to provide an estimation, making it sound more natural than placing an estimation word at the start of a phrase. It is frequently paired with numbers or time expressions to soften the precision of the statement.
Examples
They will arrive home at about three o'clock.
Related words
Common phrases
about one hundred dollars
Common mistake
Avoid placing it before the number, as that is a common error influenced by Mandarin syntax. In Cantonese, it almost exclusively appears after the amount to function correctly as a post-positional marker.
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.
