aai1埃
Jyutpingaai1
Yaleāai
Definition
Dust; fine particles of dirt.
colloquialhomedescriptions
How it's used
While 埃 is a valid morpheme for dust, it is rarely used as a standalone noun in modern spoken Cantonese. Most speakers prefer to use 塵 or 灰塵 when referring to dust in everyday life. You will mostly encounter 埃 in compound words or specific literary contexts.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse 埃 with 挨, which is a verb meaning to lean against or to endure. They share a similar shape but have completely different meanings and pronunciations.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
