ngai4倪
Jyutpingngai4
Yalengàih
Definition
A Chinese surname, typically romanized as Ngai.
neutralpeople
How it's used
Surnames in Cantonese are almost exclusively used with the verb 姓 to introduce someone's family name. Unlike English, where you might say "I am Ngai", in Cantonese you must say "I surname Ngai". This character is strictly a surname and lacks any other common meaning in modern daily speech.
Examples
Mr. Ngai did not go to work today.
Related words
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.
