zai3製制
Jyutpingzai3
Yalejai
Definition
To make, manufacture, or produce.
neutralworkdaily actions
How it's used
Unlike the everyday verb 整, which is used for almost any act of making or fixing, 製 is restricted to formal, industrial, or technical contexts. It implies a systematic process or large scale production rather than simple manual creation. You will frequently see it as a suffix in compound nouns like 複製 or 製作.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
finished product
to copy or replicate
to produce or create
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 製 as a direct substitute for 整 in casual speech. Using 製 when you mean to fix a broken item or prepare a simple meal will sound overly formal or unnatural.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
