on1 ngai4安危
Jyutpingon1 ngai4
Yaleōn ngàih
Definition
Safety; welfare; the state of being safe or in danger.
neutralpeople
How it's used
This term is formal and typically reserved for serious, high-stakes situations involving life or death. It is rarely used in casual conversation to describe everyday safety, where words like 安全 are far more common. You will most frequently encounter it in news reports, official statements, or dramatic storytelling.
Examples
This matter concerns the safety of many people, we cannot act recklessly.
Related words
Common phrases
to take safety into account
to disregard one's safety
Common mistake
Learners often use this word in everyday contexts where it sounds overly dramatic or stiff. If you are talking about personal safety in a routine way, such as walking home at night, stick to 安全 instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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).
