「係」

Entry #1
Pronunciation: hai6
Part of Speech: verb
Explanation:
  • "is", "is equal to", "means", indicating the subject and object are the same thing
    (Cant.) 二ji6加gaa1二ji6係hai6四sei3。
    (Eng.) Two plus two is four.
    (Cant.) 1jat1微mei4米mai5係hai61000000jat1 baak3 maan6分fan6之zi11jat1米mai5。
    (Eng.) 1 µm is 1/1000000 m.

  • to be; used as a grammatical construct to describe the subject
    (Cant.) 阿aa3力lik6係hai6叻lek1仔zai2,我ngo5對deoi3佢keoi5有jau5信seon3心sam1。
    (Eng.) Alex is a smart guy. I trust him.
    (Cant.) 愛oi3因jan1斯si1坦taan2係hai6二ji6十sap6世sai3紀gei2嘅ge3著zyu3名ming4物mat6理lei5學hok6家gaa1。
    (Eng.) Einstein is a famous physicist of the 20th century.

  • used to state that the subject falls within a category or set
    (Cant.) 我ngo5係hai6香hoeng1港gong2人jan4。
    (Eng.) I am a Hongkonger.
    (Cant.) 西sai1瓜gwaa1係hai6夏haa6天tin1食sik6嘅ge3生saang1果gwo2。
    (Eng.) Watermelon is a fruit eaten in summer.

  • used as an affirmative; "yes"; "right"
    (Cant.) 佢keoi5係hai6唔m4係hai6做zou6錯co3咗zo2?係hai6㗎gaa3。
    (Eng.) Did he do wrong? Yes(, obviously).
    (Cant.) 係hai6,冇mou5錯co3。
    (Eng.) Yes, correct.

  • used when you are agreeing with a negative statement
    (Cant.) 甲gaap3:「你nei5冇mou5做zou6快faai3測caak1呀aa4?」乙jyut6:「係hai6啊aa3,我ngo5唔m4記gei3得dak1咗zo2。」
    (Eng.) A: "So you haven't done rapid antigen test yet?" B: "No, I forgot it."

  • added in front of the main verb in the subordinate clause, in order to set up a contrasting (i.e. "but") main clause
    (Cant.) 我ngo5係hai6識sik1做zou6,不bat1過gwo3我ngo5唔m4會wui5幫bong1手sau2㗎gaa3。
    (Eng.) I do know how to do it, but I am not going to help.
    (Cant.) 佢keoi5係hai6靚leng3女neoi2,不bat1過gwo3性sing3格gaak3麻maa4麻maa2囉lo1。
    (Eng.) Her appearance is attractive, but her personality leaves much to be desired.
    (Cant.) 佢keoi5係hai6蠢ceon2,但daan6係hai6都dou1好hou2勤kan4力lik6吖aa1!
    (Eng.) He is dumb, but he's hardworking, isn't he?

Synonym: Synonym: 乃 嚟嘅
Antonym(s): Antonym(s): 並非 唔係
See also: 即 候 即係 做
Copyrights:© 2025 Hong Kong Lexicography Limited - License
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「係」

Entry #2
Pronunciation: hai6
Part of Speech: expression
Explanation:
used to show that you are listening to someone, or that you are ready to listen and to give them an answer or information
(Cant.) 甲:「阿aa3莊zong1?」乙:「係hai6。」
(Eng.) A: "John?" B: "Yes."
Copyrights:© 2022 Hong Kong Lexicography Limited - License
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上面呢個欄位係用嚟隔走啲bot嘅。如果你唔係bot,請唔好填寫任何嘢。