zi1 zung1之中
Jyutpingzi1 zung1
Yalejī jūng
Definition
Among, amongst, or out of a group of people or things.
neutraldescriptions
How it's used
This term functions as a postposition to define a subset within a larger group. It is more formal than the common spoken construction using 入面 or 咁多個. You will frequently hear it in comparative sentences to highlight a specific individual or item from a collection.
Examples
He is the smartest one among my friends.
Which one is the sweetest among this pile of apples?
Related words
Common phrases
among them
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use it as a preposition like the English 'among', but it must always follow the noun phrase it refers to. Placing it before the group will sound unnatural and grammatically incorrect.
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.
