zi2止
Jyutpingzi2
Yalejí
Definition
To stop at a certain time or point; up to; until.
neutraltime
How it's used
This word functions as a formal boundary marker indicating the end point of a duration or a sequence. While it appears in written notices or official announcements, it is also used in spoken Cantonese to emphasize a strict limit or a final cutoff point.
Examples
This promotion ends at midnight tonight.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 到, which is a more general preposition for reaching a destination or time. Use 止 when you want to emphasize that the action must stop or terminate at that specific point.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
