seon3 laai6信賴信赖
Jyutpingseon3 laai6
Yaleseun laaih
Definition
To trust and rely on; to have faith in.
neutralpeopleemotion
How it's used
Carries a heavier weight than 信任, as it implies a sense of reliability and dependency. It is often used in professional or serious contexts where one relies on someone's competence or character to get things done. While 信任 focuses on belief, 信賴 adds the dimension of counting on that person for support or guidance.
Examples
I really trust this old friend.
Do you trust his judgment?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use this interchangeably with 信任, but 信賴 suggests a deeper, more functional reliance. Using it for casual situations, such as trusting a stranger to hold your bag for a second, sounds overly formal or dramatic.
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.
