haai4孩
Jyutpinghaai4
Yalehàaih
Definition
Child.
writtenpeople
How it's used
The character 孩 is almost exclusively used as a bound morpheme in compound words like 小孩 or 孩童, which are considered formal or written. In daily spoken Cantonese, native speakers use the term 細路仔 to refer to a child. Using 孩 as a standalone noun in conversation sounds unnatural and overly literary.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often try to use 孩 as a direct translation for child in speech, but it is not a standalone word in Cantonese. Always use 細路仔 or 𡃁仔 to sound natural.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
