wui2會会
Jyutpingwui2
Yalewúi
Definition
To be able to; can; to know how to do something.
colloquialdaily actionsother
How it's used
Expresses the ability to perform an action through learning or skill, functioning similarly to the English word can. It often overlaps with 識 when referring to learned skills, but 会 specifically highlights the future possibility or the inherent capability of a subject. When used for future events, it functions as a modal auxiliary indicating probability or intention.
Examples
He could already talk when he was very young.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 會 with 識. While both can mean can, 識 implies having the knowledge or skill to do something, whereas 會 can also imply that an event is likely to happen in the future or that someone has the general capacity to perform an action.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
