dyun1 ngai4端倪
Jyutpingdyun1 ngai4
Yaledyūn ngàih
Definition
Clues or subtle signs that reveal the truth, origin, or outcome of a matter.
writtendescriptions
How it's used
Often used in formal or literary contexts to describe the initial clues or subtle signs that hint at the bigger picture. It carries a sense of intellectual discovery, as if piecing together a puzzle from scattered fragments. While perfectly understandable in spoken Cantonese, it sounds more sophisticated and precise than common alternatives like 跡象.
Examples
From these clues, he finally found a faint sense of the truth.
Related words
Common phrases
to discern the faint signs of the truth
to discover the initial clues
Common mistake
Learners sometimes mistake this for a verb, but it is strictly a noun. It is also not used for physical objects or literal footprints, but rather for abstract situations, motives, or hidden truths.
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.
