ngaai6艾
Jyutpingngaai6
Yalengaaih
Definition
To end, stop, or cut off.
writtendescriptions
How it's used
This character is almost exclusively found in formal idioms or literary contexts rather than daily speech. It functions as a morpheme meaning to stop or cease, and you will rarely encounter it outside of the specific idiom 方興未艾. Using it in casual conversation would sound highly unnatural or overly academic.
Examples
This matter hasn't ended yet, don't jump to conclusions so quickly.
When will their long-standing grudges finally come to an end?
Related words
Common phrases
in the ascendant; still in progress
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 哎, which is a common interjection used to express surprise or annoyance. They are completely unrelated in meaning and usage.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
