lai5禮礼
Jyutpinglai5
Yaleláih
Definition
Etiquette; social norms and rules of conduct governing interpersonal relationships.
neutralpeopleother
How it's used
Refers to a broad spectrum of social conduct ranging from formal rituals to basic politeness. While it carries a philosophical weight in Confucian contexts, in daily life it is most frequently encountered as a root for words describing behavior, such as 禮貌 or 冇禮貌. It is rarely used as a standalone noun in casual speech to mean etiquette, as people prefer more specific terms like 規矩 or 禮貌.
Examples
You should have manners; don't be so rude.
He is very polite to his elders, everyone praises him.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 禮物, which means gift. Learners often mistakenly use 禮 to mean a present, but it strictly refers to the abstract concept of propriety or manners.
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.
