jat1 si6一事
Jyutpingjat1 si6
Yaleyāt sih
Definition
Suffix used to nominalize an event or description, meaning "the matter of" or "the affair of".
writtencommunication
How it's used
Functions as a formal nominalizer that turns a preceding verb phrase into a noun phrase, effectively acting as a formal way to say "the matter of" or "the issue of". It is almost exclusively used in formal writing, business correspondence, or serious public announcements. Using it in casual, everyday speech will make you sound overly stiff or like you are reading from a legal document.
Examples
Have you thought clearly about the matter of moving house?
They have strong opinions regarding the matter of a salary increase.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often overuse it in daily conversation where a simple 嘅事 or just the verb phrase itself would be more natural. It is not a generic suffix for all nouns, but specifically for framing an event or action as a topic of discussion.
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.
