hei3氣气
Jyutpinghei3
Yalehei
Definition
Gas; gaseous substance.
neutralnatureother
How it's used
Refers to air, gas, or vapor in a physical sense, but also extends to abstract concepts like temperament or atmosphere. When discussing physical gases like oxygen or carbon dioxide, it is usually combined with 體 to form 氣體. It is frequently used in compound words to describe the intangible vibe or mood of a person or place.
Examples
There seems to be a strange smell here.
Did you turn on the gas to cook?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 氣 in the sense of anger, which is often expressed as 發脾氣 or 嬲. While 氣 can imply a person's spirit or energy, using it alone to mean anger is usually incorrect in a sentence.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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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.
