tik1惕

Jyutpingtik1

Yaletīk

Definition

Fearful; to be cautious; careful

writtendescriptions

How it's used

This character is rarely used on its own in modern spoken Cantonese. It almost exclusively appears as part of the compound 警惕, which carries a formal or literary tone. You will mostly encounter it in written notices, news reports, or serious warnings rather than casual conversation.

Examples

zou6 je5 jiu3 ging2 tik1 di1 m4 hou2 gam3 daai6 ji3

做嘢要警惕啲，唔好咁大意。

Be more cautious when working, don't be so careless.

nei5 zou6 me1 gam3 ging2 tik1 aa4

你做咩咁警惕呀？

Why are you being so guarded?

Common phrases

tai4 gou1 ging2 tik1

提高警惕

to raise one's vigilance

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a common verb, but it is a formal term. Using it in a casual setting to mean simply being careful can sound overly dramatic or stiff, where 醒目 or 小心 are much more natural choices.