係 (hai6 | xi4) : be; yes, it is

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係

hai6

xi4

[1] [粵] [v] to be; is; are
[2] [粵] yes, it is; indeed; right; positive
[3] [n] relation; relationship; consequence

系 is also a traditional character apart from being the simplified form for 係 and 繫.

Default PoS:

Additional PoS:

Stroke count: 9

Level: 1

Radical: 亻 (#9)

This character is used in both Cantonese and Mandarin/Standard written Chinese.

係 / 系

This character was added by sheik on 18th Mar 2007 21:22 and last edited on 21st Nov 2011 03:23

Output this character as a high resolution image

定係 ding6 hai6 = or 粵

真係 zan1 hai6 = really 粵

但係 daan6 hai6 = but; however 粵

唔係 m4 hai6 = not be; am not; otherwise 粵

沒關係 mut6 gwaan1 hai6 mei2 guan1 xi5 = no relation to; never mind 國

係噉先 hai6 gam2 sin1 = that's it for now; that's all for now 粵

一係 jat1 hai6 = either/or 粵

即係 zik1 hai6 = exactly; precisely the case 粵

淨係 zing6 hai6 jing4 xi4 = only, merely 粵

係咩 hai6 me1 = really? is that true? 粵
See all 103 compounds (CantoDict reports 106 compounds in total, but some may be Common Formations)

Showing 10 of 199 examples containing 係

佢係咪本地人嚟㗎？粵
Is he/she a local?

你想食牛肉定係豬肉呀？粵
Do you want to eat beef or pork?

你想食麵定係食飯呀？粵
Do you want to eat noodles or rice?

呢位係我父親。粵
This is my father.

而家幾點鐘? 而家係三點三個字。粵
What time is it now? It's a quarter past three.

佢真係好快粵
He is really fast.

你嘅教師係邊個呀？
Who is your teacher?

我係今日返屋企嘅粵
I'm going home today.
[the "today" is emphasized by the use of 係 in front of it, and the use of the final particle 嘅. Pronouncing 嘅 as ge2 would add a sense of puzzlement about the situation.]

你係幾時返嚟㗎? 粵
When are you coming back?
[the "when" is emphasized by 係 preceding it, and the use of the final particle 㗎. Pronouncing 㗎 as gaa2 would add a sense of reservation or doubt about the situation.]

星期日係公眾假期。粵
Sunday is a public holiday.

Show all 199 examples

Legend
國 : This term is used in Mandarin/Standard written Chinese, not Cantonese.
粵 : This term is used in Cantonese, not Mandarin/Standard written Chinese.
No icon: This term is used in both Cantonese and Mandarin/Standard written Chinese.

Forum Code to link to this word:
[big][url=http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/601/]係[/url][/big]
HTML Code to link to this word:
<a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/601/" class="chinesemed" target="_blank">係</a>
Decimal representation of this word: 係
Unicode code for this character: U+4fc2 (off-site link)

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