king4 ngai4鯨鯢鲸鲵
Jyutpingking4 ngai4
Yalekìhng ngàih
Definition
The whale, a chess piece in Japanese shogi.
colloquialother
How it's used
Refers specifically to the promoted form of the rook in Japanese shogi, known as the dragon king. It is rarely used in casual conversation unless the speaker is an enthusiast of board games or Japanese culture. The term is borrowed from Japanese terminology and does not have a native Cantonese etymology.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with the literal meaning of whale, which is 鯨魚. Using this term in a non-gaming context will cause significant confusion as it is not a standard word for marine life.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
