gei2杞
Jyutpinggei2
Yalegéi
Definition
The Chinese wolfberry shrub, Qi (an ancient Chinese state), or the surname Qi.
- Chinese wolfberry shrub (Lycium chinense)
- Qi, a small ancient Chinese state
- the surname Qi
neutralfoodnature
How it's used
Refers almost exclusively to the plant or the fruit in modern speech, usually appearing as 杞子. It is rarely used on its own unless referring to the historical state or as a surname. When discussing the fruit, it is almost always paired with 子 to distinguish it from the plant itself.
Measure word
fo2棵fóExamples
Do you know where the State of Qi was?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse the character 杞 with 紀 or 記 due to the similar phonetic components, but they are unrelated in meaning.
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.
