bai6敝
Jyutpingbai6
Yalebaih
Definition
My or our; a humble prefix used to refer to oneself or things related to oneself.
writtenworkpeople
How it's used
This term functions as a humble prefix used when referring to one's own belongings, organization, or family members. It is strictly reserved for formal or business contexts, projecting a sense of modesty and respect toward the listener. Using it in casual conversation with friends will sound bizarrely archaic or overly stiff.
Examples
Our company has hired many new staff recently.
Welcome everyone to visit our humble place.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this as a general substitute for 'my' or 'our' in everyday speech, but it is exclusively for formal self-deprecation. It cannot be used for personal items like a car or a phone, as it is typically reserved for organizations or abstract concepts like one's home or office.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
