caa1 lei6差利
Jyutpingcaa1 lei6
Yalechā leih
Definition
Charlie; a Cantonese nickname for Charlie Chaplin.
colloquialpeople
How it's used
This nickname is a direct phonetic adaptation of the English name Charlie. It is almost exclusively used to refer to the silent film star Charlie Chaplin rather than any other person named Charlie. Using this term evokes a sense of nostalgia for classic slapstick comedy.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to refer to a regular person named Charlie, as it will sound like you are calling them a clown or a comedian.
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.
