All words ›Gong xi fa cai
PhraseHow to pronounce “Gong xi fa cai”
恭喜发财gōng xǐ fā cái
Literally: wishing you prosperity — the money-focused new year greeting.
“gong hay fat choy” — that is Cantonese, not Mandarin
gong-SHEE fah-TSIGH in Mandarin
The shape of the word
Tap any syllable to hear it. The curve above each one is the tone you are aiming for.
Syllable by syllable
| Syllable | Tone | Practise it |
|---|---|---|
| 恭 gōng | First tone — high and flat | gong — open drill → |
| 喜 xǐ | Third tone — low dip | xi — open drill → |
| 发 fā | First tone — high and flat | fa — open drill → |
| 财 cái | Second tone — rising | cai — open drill → |
Both versions are correct — in different languages. The Cantonese one travelled the world through Hong Kong cinema.
Questions people ask
How do you pronounce Gong xi fa cai?
Gong xi fa cai is 恭喜发财, gōng xǐ fā cái — gong-SHEE fah-TSIGH in Mandarin. Literally it means wishing you prosperity — the money-focused new year greeting.
What is the most common mistake with Gong xi fa cai?
“gong hay fat choy” — that is Cantonese, not Mandarin
Is there anything else worth knowing about Gong xi fa cai?
Both versions are correct — in different languages. The Cantonese one travelled the world through Hong Kong cinema.
More words people mispronounce
Reading a respelling is not the same as producing the tones. The free 2-minute check listens to you and shows which syllables land wrong.