zyu6 hai2住喺
Jyutpingzyu6 hai2
Yalejyuh hái
Definition
To live at or reside in a place.
colloquialplacesdaily actions
How it's used
Combining the verb 住 with the locative marker 喺 is the standard way to express residence in spoken Cantonese. It functions as a single unit where 喺 acts as the preposition linking the verb to the location. Unlike formal written Chinese, which might use 居住於 or simply 在, this construction is essential for natural daily communication.
Examples
Where do you live now?
He has lived in Sham Shui Po for many years.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 喺度 to mean live at, but 喺度 typically means to be present or to be doing something. Always ensure you include the verb 住 before 喺 when talking about your place of residence.
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.
