zi2指
Jyutpingzi2
Yalejí
Definition
Finger or toe.
colloquialbody
How it's used
指 is a bound morpheme that rarely stands alone in modern Cantonese, where people prefer using 手指 for fingers or 腳指 for toes. When used as a verb, it functions as pointing or indicating something. It is common to see it in compounds like 指示 or 指定, but for physical body parts, you must add the body part prefix to be understood clearly.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use 指 alone to refer to a finger, but native speakers will find this unnatural or confusing. Always use 手指 for fingers or 腳指 for toes to avoid sounding like you are using a literary or incomplete word.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
