假期
gaa3 kei4
The Cantonese word for holiday is 假期 (gaa3 kei4).
假期 is a noun used to describe a period of one or more days taken off work for leisure and often travel. If you need to specify a public or statutory holiday, you can use the term 公眾假期.
Meaning: period of one or more days taken off work for leisure and often travel (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 假期 is composed of 假, meaning 'false' or 'temporary' and 期, meaning 'period' or 'time'. Literally, it translates to a 'temporary period of time'.
Which one should you use?
While 假期 is the noun for 'holiday', you should use the verb phrase 放假 when you want to express the action of 'taking a holiday' or 'having time off'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Guangzhou, the term 假日 is commonly used for holiday.
How do you pronounce it?
gaa3 kei4
Did you know?
- The word 假 in 假期 is the same character used to describe something 'fake' or 'counterfeit'. This suggests that a holiday is a 'fake' workday.
- Cantonese has a specific term 補假 for 'makeup holidays', which occur when a public holiday falls on a weekend and the government shifts the day off to a weekday.
- In Hong Kong, people often use the English word 'holiday' or 'vacation' mid-sentence while speaking Cantonese, a linguistic habit known as code-switching.
Examples in context
- 假期去咗邊啊？Where did you spend your holiday?This sentence is useful for asking where someone spent their holiday using 假期.Tatoeba #12056882 by thesilhouette, translation #12056845 by sundown
- 今日唔使返工，我哋係放假架！We don't have to go to work today, we're on holiday!
- 下星期，我放假，你想點樣過？I'm on holiday next week, how do you want to spend it?
- 星期日係美國嘅假日。Sunday is a public holiday in the United States.
Example conversation
Meiling and Zijian are talking about their upcoming plans.
- 美玲 Mei Ling子健，你個假期打算點樣過？zi2 gin6, nei5 go3 gaa3 kei4 daa2 syun3 dim2 joeng2 gwo3?Zijian, how do you plan to spend your holiday?
- 子健 Tsz Kin我諗住喺屋企休息下。ngo5 nam2 zyu6 hai2 uk1 kei2 jau1 sik1 haa2.I'm thinking of just relaxing at home.
- 美玲 Mei Ling咁悶呀？我打算去行山。gam3 mun6 aa3? ngo5 daa2 syun3 heoi3 hang4 saan1.That's so boring! I plan to go hiking.
- 子健 Tsz Kin聽落好正，祝你有個愉快假期。ting1 lok6 hou2 zeng3, zuk1 nei5 jau5 go3 jyu4 faai3 gaa3 kei4.That sounds great, I wish you a happy holiday.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
