jat1 di1一啲
Jyutpingjat1 di1
Yaleyāt dī
Definition
Some; a small amount or number of.
colloquialdescriptionsnumbers
How it's used
Functions as a quantifier that softens the tone, making statements sound less rigid or precise. It is frequently used to avoid committing to a specific number or quantity when the exact amount is either unknown or irrelevant to the conversation. Unlike Mandarin, it is almost exclusively used in spoken contexts and sounds unnatural in formal written reports.
Examples
There are still some apples on the table, do you want to eat any?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using it with singular countable nouns that cannot be divided, such as a person or a specific unique object. It implies a plural or uncountable mass, so saying 一啲人 is acceptable for a group, but using it for a single specific person sounds confusing.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
