感激
gam2 gik1
The Cantonese word for grateful is 感激 (gam2 gik1).
The term 感激 is used to describe a person or their actions, feelings, etc.: expressing gratitude or appreciation.
Meaning: of a person or their actions, feelings, etc.: expressing gratitude or appreciation (adj)
Which one should you use?
多謝 / 多谢 (do1 ze6) is a common and general way to express gratefulness in Cantonese used in both formal and informal settings. 感謝 / 感谢 (gam2 ci4) is a phrase used to express gratitude in formal settings and is slightly more formal than 多謝. 萬分感謝 (maan6 fan1 gam2 ci4) conveys a deep sense of gratitude and is used in serious or formal situations.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Hong Kong, the phrase 多謝曬 (do1 ze6 saai3) is commonly used to express gratefulness. In some parts of Guangdong Province, 多謝晒喇 (do1 ze6 saai3 laa1) is used to convey appreciation.
How do you pronounce it?
gam2 gik1
Did you know?
- When using 多謝曬 (do1 ze6 saai3), the word 曬 (saai3) acts like a booster that can imply the gratitude is 'complete' or 'exhausted', making the expression more emphatic.
- When someone expresses gratitude in Cantonese, the typical response is not 'you are welcome' but rather 唔使客氣 (m4 sai2 haak6 hei3), which means 'no need to be polite'.
- The character 謝 (ze6) in 多謝 is the same character used in the word for 'apology' or 'to decline' in many Chinese contexts, implying a subtle sense of 'forgiving' a debt or an imposition.
Examples in context
- 佢哋唔係一個靚仔嘅家庭；佢哋嘅鞋唔係防水嘅；佢哋啲衫好少；而彼得可能知道，而且好可能知道，佢哋係典當嘅，但係佢哋好開心，好感激，互相滿意，同埋對時間感到滿意，而當佢哋褪緊色嘅時候，佢哋睇落更加開心。直到最後。They were not a handsome family, they were not well dressed, their shoes were far from being water-proof, their clothes were scanty, and Peter might have known, and very likely did, the inside of a pawnbroker's. But they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and contented with the time, and when they faded, and looked happier yet in the bright sprinklings of the Spirit's torch at parting, Scrooge had his eye upon them, and especially on Tiny Tim, until the last.This sentence shows how 感激 can be used to describe a state of being happy and grateful within a narrative.Tatoeba #13107483 by Davidgo5867, translation #3712799 by Hybrid
- 唔該你陪我去食飯。Thank you for accompanying me to have a meal.
- 多謝晒你嘅幫忙。Thank you very much for your help.
- 多謝曬你嘅招待。Thank you for your hospitality.
- 多謝晒喇，真係幫咗大忙。Thank you so much, you really helped me a lot.
- 我好感激你嘅幫助。ngo5 hou2 gam2 gik1 nei5 ge3 bong3 zo6.I am very grateful for your help.
- 我非常感激你嘅意見。ngo5 fei1 soeng4 gam2 gik1 nei5 ge3 ji3 gin3.I am extremely grateful for your advice.
Example conversation
Jun Kit and Ya Ting are talking after a project.
- 俊傑 Chun Kit雅婷，多謝你幫我改報告。aa2 ting4, do1 ze6 nei5 bong1 ngo5 goi2 bou3 gou3.Ya Ting, thank you for helping me edit the report.
- 雅婷 Nga Ting冇問題，好簡單啫。mou5 man6 tai4, hou2 gaan2 daan1 ze1.No problem, it was very simple.
- 俊傑 Chun Kit我真係好感激你。ngo5 zan1 hai6 hou2 gam2 gik1 nei5.I am truly grateful to you.
- 雅婷 Nga Ting唔使客氣，大家互相幫忙。m4 sai2 haak1 hei3, daai6 gaa1 hou2 soeng1 bong1 mong2.You're welcome, we help each other.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
