maa5 laai1馬拉马拉
Jyutpingmaa5 laai1
Yalemáh lāai
Definition
Malay; relating to the ethnic majority of Malaysia or their language.
colloquialpeople
How it's used
Refers specifically to the ethnic group or their language, rather than the country itself. When talking about the country, use 馬來西亞 instead. It is common to hear this term in casual conversation, but it can sometimes sound slightly informal compared to the full ethnic name.
Examples
All of his family members are Malay.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this word to refer to the country Malaysia, as that would be grammatically incorrect and confusing to native speakers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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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.
