wai5偉伟
Jyutpingwai5
Yalewáih
Definition
Great, extraordinary, or outstanding.
writtendescriptions
How it's used
Functions primarily as a bound morpheme in Cantonese, meaning it rarely stands alone as a complete word in daily speech. It is almost exclusively paired with 大 to form 偉大, which is the standard way to express the concept of greatness or being extraordinary. Using it outside of this specific compound can sound overly formal or poetic, bordering on literary Chinese.
Examples
Who is the great person in your heart?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often try to use it as a standalone adjective to describe a person or action, but it sounds unnatural. Always pair it with 大 to form 偉大 when describing someone or something as great.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
