wong4皇
Jyutpingwong4
Yalewòhng
Definition
An emperor, the supreme ruler of an empire; royal.
neutralpeople
How it's used
Functions primarily as a bound morpheme in modern Cantonese rather than a standalone noun. It appears most frequently in compound words relating to historical monarchy or royal status. When referring to a specific ruler, it is almost always paired with other characters to form terms like 皇帝 or 女皇.
Examples
The emperors in the past were really majestic.
Do you think you are a member of the royal family?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this as a standalone word for 'king' or 'emperor' in casual speech, as it sounds archaic or overly dramatic. Use 皇帝 when referring to the historical position of emperor.
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.
