nei4尼
Jyutpingnei4
Yalenèih
Definition
Buddhist nun; also used in transliterations and names.
- literaryBuddhist nun
- used in transliterating foreign names
neutralpeople
How it's used
Beyond its use in the specific term 尼姑, this character is almost exclusively found in transliterated foreign names or place names like 尼泊爾 or 悉尼. It does not function as a standalone noun for a nun in modern speech, as the full term 尼姑 is required for clarity. When used in names, it is purely phonetic and carries no religious connotation.
Measure word
wai6位waihExamples
Her family wants her to become a Buddhist nun.
Where does that Buddhist nun practice?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 尼 as a standalone word for a nun, but it must be paired with 姑 to form the complete noun 尼姑. Using it alone in a sentence will sound incomplete or confusing to native speakers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
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Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
