zou2 on1早安
Jyutpingzou2 on1
Yalejóu ōn
Definition
Good morning.
colloquialdaily actionscommunication
How it's used
早晨 is the standard greeting used in Hong Kong to say good morning. While 早安 is understood because of Mandarin influence, it sounds unnatural and overly formal in daily Cantonese conversation. Use 早晨 for everyone from colleagues to shopkeepers.
Related words
Common phrases
Good morning
Common mistake
Avoid using 早安 in casual settings as it sounds like a translation from Mandarin or a line from a period drama. Always stick to 早晨 for a natural local sound.
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).
