hai4奚
Jyutpinghai4
Yalehàih
Definition
A Chinese surname.
neutralpeople
How it's used
This character is exclusively used as a surname in modern Cantonese and is rarely encountered outside of formal documentation or introductions. It is distinct from the Mandarin usage where it can appear in literary contexts meaning 'servant' or 'what'. In Hong Kong, it is treated strictly as a proper noun and follows the standard grammatical structure for surnames.
Examples
Related words
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
