lai6例

Jyutpinglai6

Yalelaih

名詞Common

Definition

An example; a rule, regulation, or precedent.

example; instance
rule; regulation; custom; precedent

neutralother

How it's used

While often used to mean example, this character also appears frequently in legal or formal contexts to mean regulation or precedent. When used in everyday speech to mean for example, native speakers almost always use the phrase 舉個例 or 譬如話 instead of just using the character alone. It carries a slightly more formal weight than the English word example might suggest in casual conversation.

Measure word

go3個go

Examples

ni1呢go3個hai6係zeoi3最hou2好ge3嘅lai6例zi2子。

This is the best example.

Common phrases

geoi2舉go3個lai6例

to give an example

faat3法lai6例

law or regulation

gwaan3慣lai6例

convention or usual practice

Common mistake

Learners often confuse this with 例子, but remember that 例子 is the full noun for an example, while 例 is often a bound morpheme or part of a compound word. Do not use 例 as a standalone noun in a sentence without a classifier or as part of a verb phrase like 舉個例.