gwai1歸归

Jyutpinggwai1

Yalegwāi

動詞Common

Definition

To classify, or to belong to a certain owner or category.

to classify; to group together
to belong to; to be owned by

neutraldaily actionsother

How it's used

While 歸 is used in formal contexts to mean classify, it also carries a strong sense of returning to a source or belonging to a specific group. In daily spoken Cantonese, people often prefer using 歸類 for classification tasks to avoid ambiguity with the sense of returning home or going back.

Examples

ni1呢di1啲man4文gin2件jiu3要gwai1歸faan1返heoi3去jyun4原bun2本go3個gwai6櫃dou6度。

These documents need to be returned to their original cabinet.

nei5你zoeng3將ni1呢gei2幾joeng6樣je5嘢gwai1歸zou6做jat1一leoi6類dak1得m4唔dak1得？

Can you classify these few things into one category?

Common phrases

gwai1歸leoi6類

to classify

gwai1歸gung1功

to attribute credit to

Common mistake

Learners often confuse 歸 with 返, as both can imply returning. Remember that 歸 implies a more formal or final return to a place or category, whereas 返 is the standard, versatile word for going back.