zi6 ngo5自我
Jyutpingzi6 ngo5
Yalejih ngóh
Definition
Oneself, self-, or self-centered.
- oneself; self-
- self-centered; egoistic
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Describes someone who is overly focused on their own perspective or desires, often carrying a negative connotation of being selfish or stubborn. When used as a noun prefix like in 自我介紹, it functions neutrally, but when used as an adjective to describe a person, it implies a lack of consideration for others.
Examples
He is very self-centered and never cares about how others feel.
Don't be so self-centered at work, you need to learn how to cooperate with others.
Related words
Common phrases
self-centered
self-reflection
self-introduction
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 自私, which specifically means selfish. While 自私 focuses on keeping benefits for oneself, 自我 focuses on prioritizing one's own viewpoint or ego above all else.
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.
