早日康復
To say 'get well' in Cantonese, use 早日康復.
The phrase 早日康復 is used to wish someone to recover from illness or injury. It is typically used as a standalone well-wish or at the end of a message to someone who is sick or injured.
Meaning: to recover from illness or injury (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 早日康復 literally means 'early day recover health'. It is composed of 早日 (early/soon), 康 (healthy/peaceful) and 復 (recover/return).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
早日康復 is a formal and polite way to wish someone a speedy recovery, making it suitable for cards, messages or speaking to elders and superiors. For a more polite and respectful expression, you can use 祝你早日康復. In informal settings, you might use 快啲好返啦 to say 'get well soon' or 早啲康復 among friends or close acquaintances to mean 'recover soon'.
Did you know?
- In Cantonese culture, wishing someone 'get well' through 早日康復 is often accompanied by gifting fruit, but you must avoid giving pears because the word for 'pear' 梨 sounds like the word for 'separation' 離.
- In some traditional Cantonese households, saying 早日康復 is paired with the advice to avoid 'wind' 風, as 'catching a cold' is often conceptualized as allowing wind to enter the body.
- While 早日康復 is a standard wish, people often avoid saying 'get well' directly to those with terminal illnesses, preferring vague phrases about 'comfort' to avoid appearing as if they are challenging fate.
Examples in context
- 快啲好返啦，我地好掛住你。Get well soon, we miss you.
- 祝你早日康復，盡快恢復正常生活。Wishing you a speedy recovery and a quick return to normal life.
- 祝你早日康復。zuk1 nei5 zou2 jat6 hong1 fuk6.I wish you a speedy recovery.
- 希望佢可以早日康復。hei1 mong6 keoi5 ho2 ji5 zou2 jat6 hong1 fuk6.I hope he can recover soon.
Example conversation
A man is calling a female friend to check on her health.
- 子健 Tsz Kin曉彤，聽講你感冒好嚴重？hiu2 tung4, ting1 gong2 nei5 gam2 mou6 hou2 zaang6 jim6?Hiu Tung, I heard your cold is quite serious?
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung係呀，我覺得好冇力。hai6 aa3, ngo5 gok3 dak1 hou2 mou6 lik6.Yes, I feel very weak.
- 子健 Tsz Kin你要多啲休息，早日康復呀。nei5 jiu3 do1 di1 haau1 sik1, zou2 jat6 hong1 fuk6 aa3.You should rest more, get well soon.
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung多謝你嘅關心，子健。do1 ze6 nei5 ge3 gwaan1 sam1, zi2 gin6.Thank you for your concern, Tsz Kin.
