zat6疾
Jyutpingzat6
Yalejaht
Definition
Illness, sickness, or disease.
writtenhealth
How it's used
This character is primarily a bound morpheme found in formal or medical compound words rather than a standalone noun in everyday speech. While it carries the meaning of illness, it is rarely used by itself in casual conversation, where words like 病 or 唔舒服 are preferred. It often appears in contexts describing chronic or difficult conditions.
Examples
He recently caught a serious illness, it is so miserable.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a common noun and try to use it in place of 病. Using it in casual conversation will sound overly formal or literary, as if you are reading from a historical text or a medical report.
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.
