zoek3著着
Jyutpingzoek3
Yalejeuk
Definition
To wear or put on clothing, footwear, or accessories.
colloquialclothing
How it's used
Focus on the physical act of putting on clothes or the state of being clothed. Unlike Mandarin where different verbs are used for different types of clothing, 著 is the universal verb for wearing almost anything from shirts and trousers to shoes and socks. It is often paired with 咗 to indicate the state of being dressed in something.
Examples
Why are you dressed so nicely today?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 戴 for all clothing items, but 戴 is reserved for accessories like hats, glasses, watches, or jewelry. Use 著 for garments that cover the body, and 戴 for items that are worn on the head or extremities.
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.
