均

All or Uniformly (Officialese)

Level 6Sounds Like gwan1

均 (gwan1) is the formal equivalent of the colloquial 都 (dou1). It is used in official notices, legal documents, and formal announcements to indicate that a rule or status applies to every member of a group.

How It Works

均 (gwan1) is a hallmark of high-register Cantonese. It is not 'Mandarin' used in Cantonese, but rather a functional part of formal spoken and written Cantonese used in the Legislative Council, news broadcasts, and public service announcements.

1. Placement and Syntax
Like most adverbs in Cantonese, 均 must follow the subject it modifies and appear before the verb or adjective. It requires a plural subject or a list of items to make sense.
Example: [Subject Group] + 均 + [Action/State]

2. Common Formal Pairings
In formal writing, Cantonese prefers disyllabic (two-syllable) structures. You will frequently see 均 paired with formal markers:

  • 均已 (gwan1 ji5): All have already...
  • 均須 (gwan1 seoi1): All must...
  • 均可 (gwan1 ho2): All may/can...
  • 均不 (gwan1 bat1): All do not...

3. Register Awareness
Using 均 in a casual conversation (e.g., with friends at a restaurant) sounds extremely unnatural or mock-heroic. Conversely, using 都 (dou1) in a legal contract might be seen as insufficiently professional. Proficiency in Level 6 Cantonese requires distinguishing these 'High' and 'Low' registers.

Examples (4)

  1. 各項服務均已恢復正常。

    All services have resumed to normal.

    Word by Word: Each item service all already resume normal.

    This is a standard announcement seen on the MTR or utility websites. 均已 (gwan1 ji5) is a very common formal pairing.

  2. 所有申請人均須出示身份證正本。

    All applicants must produce the original copy of their identity card.

    Word by Word: All applicants all must show identity card original-copy.

    Used in government or administrative instructions. 均須 (gwan1 seoi1) replaces the colloquial 都 (dou1) 要 (jiu3).

  3. 以上費用均不包括小費。

    The above fees do not include gratuities.

    Word by Word: Above fees all not include small-fee.

    Commonly found on formal invoices or service terms. 均不 (gwan1 bat1) is the formal way to say 'all do not'.

  4. 所有資料均屬保密。

    All information is confidential.

    Word by Word: All data all belong-to confidential.

    A standard legal disclaimer. 均屬 (gwan1 suk6) means 'all belong to' or 'all are'.

Common Mistakes

  • Mixing formal '均' with colloquial sentence particles.

    我哋均去喇。
    我哋都去喇。

    均 (gwan1) is strictly formal. Mixing it with colloquial pronouns like 我哋 (ngo5 dei6) and particles like 喇 (laa3) creates a register clash. Use 都 (dou1) for daily speech.

  • Placing '均' before the subject.

    均所有職員須出席。
    所有職員均須出席。

    Like the English word 'all' in some contexts, but unlike 'every,' 均 (gwan1) acts as an adverb and must follow the subject it describes.

How It Connects

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均Level 6All or Uniformly (Officialese)

Learn This First

The pattern '均' (gwan1) is a high-level, formal marker meaning 'all' or 'uniformly'. It is primarily found in official announcements, news, and formal written Cantonese. To understand its usage, learners should already be familiar with the colloquial equivalent '都', the general concept of written vs. spoken Cantonese, and other formal markers of totality like '皆'.

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均