亦都

Also (Semi-formal Blend)

Level 4Sounds Like jik6 dou1

亦都 (jik6 dou1) is a compound adverb meaning 'also.' It is more formal than the everyday 都 (dou1) but more natural in speech than the literary 亦 (jik6).

How It Works

In Cantonese, there is a spectrum of formality for the word 'also':

  • 都 (dou1): The standard colloquial choice for 90% of daily life.
  • 亦都 (jik6 dou1): The semi-formal choice, common in broadcasts, lectures, and professional meetings.
  • 亦 (jik6): The literary choice, mostly found in written texts or fixed idioms.

Syntactic Position:
Like most adverbs in Cantonese word order, 亦都 (jik6 dou1) must appear after the subject and before the predicate (the verb or adjective).

Functional Restrictions:
Unlike the basic 都 (dou1), 亦都 (jik6 dou1) has a narrower scope:
1. Additive Only: It only means 'also' or 'in addition'. It cannot be used to mean 'all' or 'both' (e.g., 'They are all here').
2. No 'Even' Construction: It cannot replace 都 in the 連...都 (lin4...dou1) 'even' pattern.

Register Nuance:
While learners often encounter 亦都 (jik6 dou1) in textbooks, using it while hanging out with friends can sound 'bookish' or stiff. However, if you are giving a presentation or watching the news, you will hear it constantly. It provides a rhythmic weight to the sentence that the single-syllable 都 lacks in formal contexts.

Examples (4)

  1. 我亦都同意你嘅睇法。

    I also agree with your view.

    Word by Word: I also agree your view.

    This is a common way to express agreement in a professional meeting or a serious discussion.

  2. 佢係一個老師，亦都係一個作家。

    He is a teacher and also a writer.

    Word by Word: He is one [CL] teacher, also is one [CL] writer.

    Used here to provide a descriptive, slightly formal biographical fact.

  3. 月球表面冇空氣，亦都冇聲音。

    The moon's surface has no air, and also no sound.

    Word by Word: Moon surface not-have air, also not-have sound.

    Common in educational contexts or documentaries to list facts clearly.

  4. 呢個計劃好創新，亦都好實用。

    This plan is very innovative and also very practical.

    Word by Word: This [CL] plan very innovative, also very practical.

    Used with adjectives to add a second positive quality in a formal evaluation.

Common Mistakes

  • Placing '亦都' at the end of the sentence.

    我同意你嘅睇法亦都。
    我亦都同意你嘅睇法。

    English speakers often place 'also' or 'too' at the end of a sentence. In Cantonese, adverbs must come before the verb.

  • Using 亦都 where you mean 都 (‘both’ or ‘all’).

    Different Meaning佢哋亦都係學生。
    佢哋都係學生。

    佢哋亦都係學生 is a good sentence, but 亦都 (jik6 dou1) only adds something: ‘they are students too’. To say ‘they are all students’, use 都 (dou1): 佢哋都係學生.

  • Using '亦都' in the 'even' construction.

    連佢亦都唔知。
    連佢都唔知。

    In the 連 (lin4) ... 都 (dou1) pattern meaning 'even', you must use the single-syllable 都. Replacing it with 亦都 sounds unnatural.

How It Connects

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亦都Level 4Also (Semi-formal Blend)

Learn This First

亦都 is a semi-formal variant of the word 'also'. To understand it, you must first be familiar with the standard colloquial marker for 'also' (都) and understand that Cantonese often blends literary elements (like 亦) with colloquial ones to create a more formal or polite tone.

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