ci1离
Jyutpingci1
Yalechī
Definition
A mythical beast, or elegant.
- archaicmythical beast
- elegant
writtendescriptions
How it's used
Usage of this character in modern Cantonese is extremely rare and almost exclusively restricted to literary or highly formal contexts. It is frequently confused with 離, which is the common verb for leaving or being apart from something. When used to mean elegant or refined, it often appears in compound words describing an otherworldly or detached aesthetic.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for the common character 離, which is used in everyday speech for distance or departure. Using this character in casual conversation will likely cause confusion as it is not part of the standard spoken lexicon.
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.
