gei2己

Jyutpinggei2

Yalegéi

語素Common

Definition

Oneself; self; one's own.

colloquialpeople

How it's used

While 己 exists as a morpheme, it is almost exclusively used in the compound 自己. Using 己 alone is generally restricted to formal or literary contexts, such as in the idiom 捨己為人. In everyday speech, always use the full form 自己 to refer to oneself.

Examples

zou6做jan4人jiu3要deoi3對dak1得zyu6住zi6自gei2己。

You should be true to yourself when living your life.

nei5你zi6自gei2己nam2諗cing1清co2楚mei6未aa3呀？

Have you thought it through for yourself yet?

Common phrases

zi6自gei2己jan4人

one of us; our own people

zi6自gei2己jau2友

friends; people in the same circle

Common mistake

Learners often try to use 己 as a standalone pronoun like the English word self, but it is not a free-standing word in spoken Cantonese. Always pair it with 自 to form 自己.