zuk1 sau6祝壽祝寿
Jyutpingzuk1 sau6
Yalejūk sauh
Definition
To congratulate an elderly person or senior on their birthday.
neutralfamilypeople
How it's used
This term is reserved specifically for the birthdays of elderly people, typically those celebrating significant milestones like the sixtieth or eightieth birthday. It carries a formal and respectful tone, emphasizing the act of honoring longevity rather than just a casual birthday party. You will often hear it used in the context of traditional family gatherings or formal banquets.
Examples
Grandpa's birthday is next week, our whole family is going to celebrate with him.
Did you go to celebrate Uncle Chan's birthday this year?
Related words
Common phrases
birthday banquet for an elderly person
Common mistake
Do not use this for friends or peers, as it implies a level of seniority and reverence that would sound awkward or overly formal in those contexts. For regular birthdays, simply say 過生日 or 慶祝生日.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
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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).
