ji4夷
Jyutpingji4
Yaleyìh
Definition
A derogatory term used in ancient China to refer to foreign countries or non-Han ethnic groups.
datedpeopleother
How it's used
Historically, this character reflects a Sinocentric worldview where non-Han groups were viewed as culturally inferior or uncivilized. It is almost exclusively found in historical texts, period dramas, or idioms like 蠻夷. Using it to describe modern foreigners is highly offensive and xenophobic.
Examples
In ancient times, people often called foreign countries barbarians.
Did they really treat foreign tribes as barbarians back then?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners should avoid using this character in any modern context, as it carries a strong, aggressive, and outdated racial connotation that is perceived as hate speech.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
