leon4 geoi1鄰居邻居
Jyutpingleon4 geoi1
Yalelèuhn gēui
Definition
Neighbour; a person living near you.
colloquialpeoplehome
How it's used
People in Hong Kong often prefer using the more specific term 隔離屋 to refer to neighbours, especially those living immediately next door. 鄰居 sounds slightly more formal or descriptive, whereas 隔離屋 is the natural way to talk about the people living right beside you in a residential building. Using 鄰居 can sometimes feel like you are describing a relationship or a social category rather than just pointing to the person living next door.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
I am very close with the neighbour next door.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use 鄰居 in casual conversation where 隔離屋 is more natural. While 鄰居 is perfectly understandable, it can sound a bit like a textbook term or a news report if used to refer to someone you see in the hallway every day.
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.
