CANTONESE ↔ ENGLISH · CC-CANTO

呢

Cantonese · source Jyutpingne1#

(determiner) 1. this; 2. these; (slang) level

Cantonese · source Jyutpingne1#

particle indicating that a previously asked question is to be applied to the preceding word ("What about ...?", "And ...?")
particle for inquiring about location ("Where is ...?")
particle signaling a pause, to emphasize the preceding words and allow the listener time to take them on board ("ok?", "are you with me?")
(at the end of a declarative sentence) particle indicating continuation of a state or action
particle indicating strong affirmation

Cantonese · source Jyutpingnei4#

woollen cloth

Cantonese · source Jyutpingnei1#

woollen cloth

Cantonese · source Jyutpingni1#

this

About these definitions

Source definition segments, in their original order. Characters a definition cites are shown without their Mandarin pinyin; classifier lists that CC-Canto copied from CC-CEDICT are marked Mandarin. The community dictionary is not independently verified by zimai.

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Reading & tones

ne11 · high level

nei44 · low falling

nei11 · high level

ni11 · high level

Schematic citation-tone diagrams from the source numbers. These are not recordings or predictions of connected speech.

Reading difference from Unihan

呢 has the reading ne1 here; Unihan’s citation reading is nai4. Different syllable across these source readings. CC-Canto also lists 呢 ne1 as its own entry.

Computed by zimai: each syllable of the CC-Canto word reading is compared with Unihan 17.0.0 kCantonese for its character. The comparison does not say why a reading differs (a changed tone, 變音, a reading tied to one meaning, or a source variant).

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Written characters

呢

Both source spellings are represented. Written membership is not an etymological or semantic claim.

Cantonese characters and the Mandarin bridge ↗

Mandarin comparison · separate source entries

CC-CEDICT, the Mandarin–English dictionary, lists the same written form:

呢 ne CC-CEDICT · Mandarin(sentence-final particle) used in questions to link back to prior discourse or context ("what about...?", "and...?"); (sentence-final particle) indicating that a state or situation still holds; (discourse particle) used to mark a slight pause or emphasis in speech
呢 ní CC-CEDICT · Mandarindense wool fabric (used for coats and jackets)

A separate source entry, shown for comparison. The same characters can carry different senses in Mandarin and in Cantonese; zimai does not align these senses.

CC-Canto includes this pinyin reference: ne5. It does not establish a Mandarin word with the same meaning.

Look up this spelling in the Mandarin dictionary ↗

Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 16 senses · 5 Cantonese readings

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

le1 · ne1 · nei1 · nei4 · ni1

Cantonese word readings for 呢. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

CanCLID contributors · CC BY 4.0 · source & license · Data pack

Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

character · Etymology 1

Sentence-final particle indicating a reciprocal question; used to apply the previously asked question to a new subject. What about ...?; And ...?
Sentence-final particle indicating a reciprocal question; used to apply the previously asked question to a new subject. What about ...?; And ...? — Where is ...?; Where are ...?
Sentence-final particle signalling a pause, to emphasize the preceding words.
Sentence-final particle indicating continuation of an action or state, English present continuous. to be ...-ing
Sentence-final particle used to make questions more indirect, to give the impression that the speaker is speaking to themselves.
(Shanghainese) Sentence-final particle expressing anger.

character · Etymology 2

used in 呢喃 (nínán)
woollen cloth (for heavy clothing)

character · Etymology 3

(Cantonese) this

character · Etymology 4

(Cantonese) hey; Used to raise attention of the listener

character · Etymology 5

(Hong Kong Cantonese, gaming) level (in a video game)
(Hong Kong Cantonese, figuratively) level in a society; social class

character · Etymology 6

sound
(alt-of, alternative) alternative form of 䛏 (ní)

character · Etymology 7

only used in 唵嘛呢叭咪吽 (ǎn mānī bēimēi hōng)

character · Etymology 8

(Southern Min) Used in some question words.

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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