zuk1祝
Jyutpingzuk1
Yalejūk
Definition
To wish someone well, to pray, or to express blessings.
- to wish; to express good wishes
- to pray; to supplicate
neutraldaily actionsemotion
How it's used
Commonly used in social greetings and formal well wishes, it functions as a performative verb to express goodwill. Unlike the English verb wish, it is rarely used to express desire for something unattainable, focusing instead on positive blessings for the recipient.
Examples
I wish you good health and that all your wishes come true.
You have an exam tomorrow, I wish you success!
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 祈禱, which specifically refers to the religious act of praying to a deity. Use 祝 for social well wishes and 祈禱 for spiritual communication.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
