zok3 je6昨夜
Jyutpingzok3 je6
Yalejok yeh
Definition
Last night.
colloquialtime
How it's used
While 昨夜 is understood in written contexts, it sounds unnatural and overly formal in spoken Cantonese. Native speakers almost exclusively use 尋晚 to refer to the previous night. Using 昨夜 in casual conversation can make you sound like you are reading from a book or script.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 昨夜 because it appears in dictionaries, but it is not part of the everyday spoken lexicon. Stick to 尋晚 to sound natural.
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.
