nei5您
Jyutpingnei5
Yalenéih
Definition
You; a written honorific or respectful form of the second person singular pronoun.
writtenpeoplecommunication
How it's used
Using this character is strictly a written convention to show politeness or formal respect, as it is never pronounced differently from the standard pronoun. It is most commonly seen in formal correspondence, business emails, or when addressing someone of higher status or seniority. In casual daily speech, native speakers almost exclusively use the standard character.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this in casual text messages or when speaking to friends, as it can sound overly formal, distant, or even sarcastic. It is strictly a stylistic choice for written text rather than a distinct spoken pronoun.
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.
