bei3庇
Jyutpingbei3
Yalebei
Definition
To protect or shelter.
neutralpeople
How it's used
Functions primarily as a bound morpheme in formal or legalistic compounds rather than as a standalone verb in daily speech. It carries a sense of providing sanctuary or official protection, often appearing in contexts involving refugees, asylum, or divine blessing. Use 保護 when referring to general safety or physical protection to sound more natural.
Examples
They need protection from the government.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using it as a direct substitute for general verbs like 幫手 or 保護, as it sounds overly formal or archaic in casual conversation.
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.
