zaai1齋斋
Jyutpingzaai1
Yalejāai
Definition
Plain, simple, or lacking in variety, containing only a single element.
colloquialfooddescriptions
How it's used
Beyond its religious association with vegetarianism, this word functions as a versatile modifier meaning 'nothing but' or 'plain'. It is frequently used to describe things lacking extra ingredients or excitement, such as a plain bun or a boring, uneventful day. When applied to people, it can imply someone is being overly serious or lacking in social flair.
Examples
Are you only eating vegetarian today?
Related words
Common phrases
black coffee
vegetarian mock meat snacks
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 淨係, which is a verb-like adverb meaning 'only'. While 齋 can act as a prefix to describe a 'plain' version of something, it cannot replace 淨係 in sentences like 'I only have five dollars'.
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.
