bei1埤
Jyutpingbei1
Yalebēi
Definition
An alternative form of 卑, meaning humble, low-ranking, or inferior.
writtendescriptions
How it's used
The character 埤 is essentially a variant or archaic form of 卑, which is the standard character used in modern Cantonese for concepts related to humility or low status. You will rarely encounter 埤 in contemporary writing, as 卑 is the universally accepted choice for words like 卑微 or 卑鄙. Using 埤 might confuse readers who are accustomed to the standard orthography.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake 埤 for a common character because it appears in some older texts or specific place names, but it is not interchangeable with 卑 in everyday vocabulary. Stick to 卑 to avoid looking like you are using an obscure or incorrect character.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
