lei5 coi2理睬
Jyutpinglei5 coi2
Yaleléih chói
Definition
To pay attention to, acknowledge, or respond to someone.
colloquialpeoplecommunication
How it's used
Often used in the negative form to describe someone being cold or dismissive. While it functions as a verb, it carries a slightly more formal or emphatic tone than just using 理 or 睬 on their own. It specifically highlights the act of choosing to withhold a response or acknowledgement from someone.
Examples
He always pretends not to see me and completely ignores me.
Why are you ignoring people? That is very rude.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a noun, but it is strictly a verb. It is also more common to hear the single-character versions 理 or 睬 in casual daily speech, whereas 理睬 can sound slightly more deliberate or serious.
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.
