kei1 si2畸士
Jyutpingkei1 si2
Yalekēi sí
Definition
Case; a loanword typically used to describe a police case, investigation, or legal matter.
colloquialother
How it's used
Borrowed directly from the English word case, this term is almost exclusively used in the context of police investigations or legal matters. It carries a slightly informal tone compared to the more formal term 案件. You will frequently hear it in news reports or when people discuss crime stories in a casual setting.
Measure word
daan1單dānExamples
This case is very troublesome, the police have been investigating for a long time.
How are you handling this case?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this word to refer to a container or a box, as it is strictly limited to the abstract meaning of a legal or police case. For a container, use 盒 instead.
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.
