ze2者
Jyutpingze2
Yalejé
Definition
Suffix used to indicate a person who performs a particular action or possesses a certain quality; -er.
writtenpeople
How it's used
Unlike English where the suffix er is highly productive for creating new nouns, this character is mostly restricted to formal or written vocabulary in Cantonese. It often appears in compound nouns that are borrowed from written Chinese or formal contexts. You will rarely hear it attached to everyday verbs in casual spoken conversation.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often try to add this to any verb to describe a person, but it sounds unnatural or overly formal. For everyday roles, Cantonese speakers prefer using 人 or 師, such as 揸車嘅人 for driver instead of 駕駛者.
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.
