jin6諺谚
Jyutpingjin6
Yaleyihn
Definition
Proverb or folk saying, often carrying a moral lesson or allegory.
writtencommunication
How it's used
Usage of this character is almost exclusively restricted to the compound 諺語. It functions as a formal or literary morpheme rather than a standalone word in spoken Cantonese. When people refer to common sayings or proverbs in daily life, they typically use 俗語 instead.
Examples
He is always quoting proverbs; they sound quite reasonable.
Do you know where this proverb comes from?
Related words
Common phrases
proverb
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 諺 in isolation to mean a proverb, but it is a bound morpheme. Always pair it with 語 to form 諺語 when referring to a specific saying.
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.
