kei4耆
Jyutpingkei4
Yalekèih
Definition
Elderly; aged; of advanced age.
writtenpeople
How it's used
This character is almost exclusively used in formal or compound terms rather than as a standalone adjective in daily speech. It carries a respectful, slightly elevated tone, often appearing in names of social services or community organizations. You will rarely hear it used to describe a specific person in casual conversation, where terms like 老人家 or 長者 are much more common.
Examples
This center specializes in serving the elderly in the district.
They really respect that elderly person.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this as a direct adjective for an old person in casual conversation, as it sounds overly formal or archaic. It is best reserved for formal titles or institutional names.
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.
