zi6 jing6自認自认
Jyutpingzi6 jing6
Yalejih yihng
Definition
To self-admit, confess, or acknowledge something about oneself.
colloquialpeopledaily actions
How it's used
Focuses on the internal process of acknowledging a fact about oneself, often regarding one's own shortcomings or status. It carries a slightly more subjective or personal weight than the neutral 承認, which is used for admitting facts or evidence in a more objective or legal sense.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse it with 承認, but 自認 specifically implies the subject is admitting something about their own identity, performance, or position. Using it for objective facts like admitting a crime or a historical event sounds unnatural.
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.
