特此

Hereby

Level 6Sounds Like dak6 ci2

特此 (dak6 ci2) is a formal adverbial phrase used in official documents, notices, and certificates to indicate that the current statement constitutes the official act of notifying, certifying, or thanking. It is the equivalent of the English word 'hereby' and belongs to the written register used in formal Hong Kong and Macau contexts.

How It Works

特此 (dak6 ci2) functions as a formal anchor in administrative writing. It is a remnant of Classical Chinese that remains standard in modern professional correspondence.

1. Usage and Placement
Grammatically, 特此 is an adverbial phrase that must precede a formal verb. It typically appears in two structural positions:

  • Preceding the Verb: It acts as the lead-in to the main action of the document. Example: 特此證明 (dak6 ci2 zing3 ming4 - hereby certify).
  • Sentence-Medial: It follows a formal subject to clarify who is performing the act. Example: 本公司特此聲明 (bun2 gung1 si1 dak6 ci2 sing1 ming4 - This company hereby declares).

2. Standalone Closing Formula
In many formal notices, 特此 is combined with a verb to form a standalone concluding sentence that summarizes the purpose of the document. For example, a notice might end with 特此通知。 (dak6 ci2 tung1 zi1 - "Notice is hereby given" or "Hereby notified"). This serves as a formal signal that the communication is complete.

3. Register Constraints
This pattern belongs strictly to the written language register. You will see it in government gazettes, school transcripts, and corporate memos. Using it in casual speech or a text message to a friend would sound unnaturally stiff or even sarcastic.

4. Common Collocations
It is almost always followed by a formal disyllabic verb:

  • 特此通知 (dak6 ci2 tung1 zi1): Hereby notify / Notice is hereby given.
  • 特此證明 (dak6 ci2 zing3 ming4): This is to hereby certify.
  • 特此聲明 (dak6 ci2 sing1 ming4): Hereby declare/state.
  • 特此致謝 (dak6 ci2 zi3 ze6): Hereby express gratitude.

Examples (4)

  1. 查張先生為本校校友，特此證明。

    It is verified that Mr. Cheung is an alumnus of this school; this is to hereby certify [this fact].

    Word by Word: Verify Cheung Mr. is this school alumnus, hereby certify.

    This is a standard closing for a formal certificate or letter of verification.

  2. 本辦事處將於明日暫停辦公，特此通知。

    This office will be closed tomorrow; notice is hereby given.

    Word by Word: This office will at tomorrow temporary stop work, hereby notify.

    Commonly found in public notices or corporate emails to staff.

  3. 承蒙各位鼎力支持，特此致謝。

    Having received everyone's full support, I hereby express my gratitude.

    Word by Word: Receive everyone great support, hereby express thanks.

    Used in formal acknowledgments, such as at the end of a report or a public speech transcript.

  4. 特此公告：所有員工必須佩戴證件。

    Hereby announced: All employees must wear identification.

    Word by Word: Hereby public-announce: All employees must wear ID-card.

    Here, the pattern is used at the beginning to introduce the formal instruction.

Common Mistakes

  • Using '特此' in casual spoken Cantonese.

    我特此話畀你聽我會遲到。
    我特登打嚟話你知我會遲到。

    In speech, use '特登' (dak6 dang1) or '專登' (zyun1 dang1) to mean 'specially' or 'on purpose'. '特此' is strictly for formal writing.

  • Adding colloquial sentence-final particles to '特此'.

    特此通知呀。
    特此通知。

    Formal written patterns like '特此' should not be mixed with colloquial particles like '呀' (aa3) or '㗎' (gaa3), as they belong to different registers.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

特此Level 6Hereby

Learn This First

特此 (tak6 ci2) is a formal closing marker used in official Cantonese notices and documents, meaning 'hereby.' It is strictly part of the written or official register (公文語體) and is typically followed by a verb of announcement like 通知 (notice) or 證明 (certification).

Words in This Pattern

特此