鐘 / 钟
zung¹
In Cantonese, the word for clock is 鐘 / 钟 (zung¹). Wiktionary also lists 時鐘 / 时钟 (si⁴ zung¹) and 鐘錶 / 钟表 (zung¹ biu¹).
Meaning: instrument to measure or keep track of time (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 鐘 / 钟 | zung¹ |
| 時鐘 / 时钟 | si⁴ zung¹ |
| 鐘錶 / 钟表 | zung¹ biu¹ |
The term 鐘 / 钟 is a general word that can mean either a clock or a bell. If you want to specify a type of clock, you can use more descriptive terms such as 鬧鐘 (naau6 zung1) for an alarm clock, 掛鐘 (gwaa3 zung1) for wall clocks or 數碼鐘 (sou3 maa4 zung1) for digital clocks.
Which one should you use?
While 鐘 / 钟 can mean both a bell and a clock, 時鐘 / 时钟 is used more specifically to refer to a timekeeping device. If you are referring to the general category of timekeeping instruments, such as in the context of a 'watch and clock shop', use the collective term 鐘錶 / 钟表, which encompasses both clocks and watches.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is zung¹.
Did you know?
- In traditional Cantonese culture, the placement of a 掛鐘 (wall clock) is often guided by Feng Shui to ensure the flow of energy and avoid bad luck in the home.
- The character 鐘 contains the radical for 'metal' on the left, which is a hint that the original meaning referred to the bronze material used to cast bells.
- The word for alarm clock, 鬧鐘 / 闹钟, literally translates to 'noisy bell'.
Examples in context
- 我買左一個新嘅鐘。I bought a new clock.
- 你可以留意下時鐘嘅指針。You can observe the hands of the clock.
- 我每日早上都用鬧鐘喺六點鐘叫醒自己。I use an alarm clock to wake myself up at 6 o'clock every morning.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “clock” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
