kei4 si6棋士
Jyutpingkei4 si6
Yalekèih sih
Definition
A professional player of board games such as go, xiangqi, or chess.
neutralpeople
How it's used
Refers specifically to a professional player of board games like Chinese chess or Go. It carries a sense of formal training and career status rather than just someone who plays for fun. You will rarely hear this used for casual players, who are usually referred to as 棋手.
Measure word
wai6位waihExamples
He has aspired to be a professional chess player since he was a child.
This chess player will compete in the match today.
Related words
Common phrases
professional chess player
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 棋手, which is a general term for anyone who plays chess. 棋士 implies a professional rank or a high level of mastery.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
