zung1 gwok3中國中国
Jyutpingzung1 gwok3
Yalejūng gwok
Definition
China, or the Chūgoku region of Japan.
- China; a country in East Asia whose current official name is the PRC
- Chūgoku; a region in western Honshu, Japan, comprising five prefectures
neutralplaces
How it's used
Refers primarily to the country, though context is essential when discussing the Japanese region. In casual conversation, people often use the name of specific cities like 北京 or 上海 instead of the country name if the location is clear. When referring to the Japanese region, it is almost always clarified as 中國地方 to avoid confusion with the country.
Examples
When are you going back to China to visit relatives?
He has been doing business in China for many years.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse the country name with the Japanese region. If you are talking about travel in Japan, always specify 中國地方 to ensure listeners understand you are not referring to the country.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
