zi2 ji3旨意
Jyutpingzi2 ji3
Yalejí yi
Definition
The will or decree of a supreme being or high-ranking authority.
writtenpeople
How it's used
Carries a heavy, formal, and often slightly archaic or religious weight. It is rarely used in casual conversation to describe a person's simple request or instruction, as it implies an authority that is absolute or divine. Using it for mundane tasks will sound overly dramatic or sarcastic.
Examples
This is the will of heaven, no one can change it.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 意思, which means meaning or intention. Using 旨意 to ask about someone's opinion or plan will sound like you are mocking them for acting like a king or an emperor.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Particle
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Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
