恭喜發財
Wishing You Prosperity
恭喜發財 (gung1 hei2 faat3 coi4) is the most iconic Cantonese greeting for the Lunar New Year. It literally means "Congratulations and [may you] strike a fortune."
How It Works
恭喜發財 (gung1 hei2 faat3 coi4) is the signature greeting of Cantonese speakers during the Lunar New Year.
- Usage Window: It is most common during the first 15 days of the Lunar New Year. Using it for the Gregorian New Year (January 1st) is considered a mistake; for that, use 新年快樂 (san1 nin4 faai3 lok6).
- Regional Context: While Northern Chinese speakers often use '過年好' (guo4 nian2 hao3), 恭喜發財 is the iconic greeting for Southern China and the Cantonese diaspora.
- Business Context: Beyond the new year, it is appropriate for business openings to wish for financial success. However, it is not a core wedding blessing; for weddings, stick to 恭喜 (gung1 hei2) or specific phrases like 百年好合 (baak3 nin4 hou2 hap6).
- Cultural Context: It is often paired with a 'fist-and-palm' salute (拱手 gung2 sau2). Children often follow this phrase with a playful rhyme asking for red packets (利是 lai6 si6).
- Pronunciation Note: The word 發 (faat3) ends in an unreleased 't' sound. The word 財 (coi4) uses a low-falling tone; be careful not to confuse it with 菜 (coi3 - vegetable).
Examples (3)
- 恭喜發財，利是逗來！
Wishing you prosperity, now give me a red packet!
Word by Word: Congratulate emit wealth, red packet tease come!
This is a classic, playful rhyme used by children when greeting elders to ask for red packets (lai6 si6).
- 見到長輩要講恭喜發財。
When you see your elders, you must say 'Gung Hei Fat Choy'.
Word by Word: See arrive elders need speak congratulate emit wealth.
This demonstrates the social expectation of using the phrase as a sign of respect during the holiday.
- 祝大家新春進步，恭喜發財！
Wishing everyone progress in the new spring, and prosperity!
Word by Word: Wish everyone new spring progress, congratulate emit wealth!
A common formal way to open a speech or announcement during the Lunar New Year period.
Common Mistakes
Using the phrase for the wrong holiday.
一月一號同人講「恭喜發財」。一月一號要講「新年快樂」。恭喜發財 (gung1 hei2 faat3 coi4) is mainly a Lunar New Year greeting, though people also say it to wish someone luck with money at other times. For January 1st, use 新年快樂 (san1 nin4 faai3 lok6).
Using it as the primary greeting for weddings.
喺婚禮淨係講「恭喜發財」。喺婚禮講「恭喜恭喜」或者「百年好合」。While you might hear it at a wedding if someone is specifically wishing the couple financial success, it is not a standard wedding blessing. Using it as the main greeting can seem a bit crass; focus on the union instead.
How It Connects
Learn This First
恭喜發財 is a fixed four-character idiom (chengyu) used as a seasonal greeting. While it functions as a single unit of meaning, learners need a foundation in Cantonese phonology (tones and Jyutping) to pronounce it correctly and should be familiar with traditional characters to recognize it in its cultural context.
- Tones
Correct tones are essential for fixed cultural greetings like this to be understood.
Foundations - Jyutping
Understanding the romanization system is necessary to learn the specific pronunciation of this four-character idiom.
Foundations - Traditional Characters
This greeting is most commonly encountered in written form on red envelopes and decorations during the Lunar New Year.
Foundations
Related Patterns
- Four-character idioms in Cantonese
恭喜發財 is a classic example of a four-character set phrase used in Cantonese culture.
Level 5 - 多謝Thanks for a Gift
Used to thank someone after receiving a red packet (lai6 si6) following the greeting.
Level 1 - Written Cantonese
While the characters are shared with Mandarin, the specific combination and cultural weight are hallmarks of Cantonese identity.
Foundations
Words in This Pattern
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