zok6 jat6昨日
Jyutpingzok6 jat6
Yalejohk yaht
Definition
Yesterday.
colloquialtime
How it's used
琴日 is the standard spoken form for yesterday in Cantonese, while 昨日 is almost exclusively reserved for formal writing or news broadcasts. Using 昨日 in casual conversation sounds stiff and unnatural, similar to using archaic language in a text message. It is common to hear people drop the initial consonant, pronouncing it as 尋日 or even just 琴日.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using 昨日 in daily speech as it creates an immediate sense of distance or formality that does not match the casual nature of most Cantonese interactions.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
