幾

Quite / Fairly

Level 1Sounds Like gei2

In Cantonese, 幾 (gei2) means 'quite', 'fairly', or 'pretty'. It is placed directly before adjectives or stative verbs to moderate their intensity, sitting right between 'a little' (有啲) and 'very' (好).

How It Works

Understanding 幾 (gei2) as a Degree Adverb

While many beginners associate 幾 with 幾多 (gei2 do1, 'how much/many') or 幾 + Classifier ('a few'), when placed directly before an adjective or stative verb, 幾 (gei2) functions as a degree adverb meaning 'quite', 'fairly', or 'pretty'.

The Intensity Scale:
Cantonese degree adverbs generally fall along a clear intensity continuum:
1. 少少 (siu2 siu2) / 有啲 (jau5 di1) = a bit / slightly
2. 幾 (gei2) = quite / fairly
3. 好 (hou2) = very
4. 非常 (fei1 soeng4) = extremely

Using 幾 (gei2) softens your assertion compared to 好 (hou2). It adds a tone of polite modesty, mild praise, or pleasant surprise ('better than expected').

Negation with 唔係幾:
To say 'not particularly' or 'not quite', use the pattern 唔係幾 (m4 hai6 gei2) + Adjective. For example, 佢今日心情唔係幾好 (keoi5 gam1 jat6 sam1 cing4 m4 hai6 gei2 hou2) means 'S/he is in a not-so-good mood today.'

Colloquial Emphasis with 幾...下:
In spoken Cantonese, you will often hear 幾 paired with 下 (haa5) after the adjective: 幾 + Adjective + 下 (e.g., 幾好用下 gei2 hou2 jung6 haa5 = actually pretty good to use).

Pronunciation Note:
Degree 幾 is pronounced in the 2nd tone (gei2) with a high-rising pitch. Do not pronounce it in the 1st tone (gei1), as that creates confusion with words like 幾乎 (gei1 fu4, 'almost').

Examples (4)

  1. 呢部電話幾貴，但係幾好用。

    This phone is quite expensive, but it's pretty good to use.

    Word by Word: This CL phone quite expensive, but is quite good-use.

    Demonstrates 幾 (gei2) modifying both an adjective (貴 gwai3) and a stative verb phrase (好用 hou2 jung6).

  2. 我幾鍾意呢間餐廳啲嘢食。

    I quite like the food at this restaurant.

    Word by Word: I quite like this CL restaurant PL food.

    Shows 幾 (gei2) modifying a psychological verb (鍾意 zung1 ji3).

  3. 佢今日心情唔係幾好。

    S/he is not in a very good mood today.

    Word by Word: S/he today mood not-is quite good.

    Demonstrates the negative pattern 唔係幾 (m4 hai6 gei2), meaning 'not particularly' or 'not very'.

  4. 呢餐飯幾好食下喎。

    This meal is actually pretty tasty!

    Word by Word: This CL meal quite good-eat DELIM SFP.

    Uses the colloquial 幾...下 (gei2...haa5) structure with a sentence particle for mild praise.

Common Mistakes

  • Placing 幾 after the adjective instead of before it

    呢件衫貴幾。
    呢件衫幾貴。

    In Cantonese, degree adverbs must precede the predicate. Unlike English word order ('expensive enough' / 'expensive quite'), 幾 (gei2) comes directly before the adjective.

  • Adding 多 (do1) unnecessarily when expressing degree

    呢個包幾多好食。
    呢個包幾好食。

    幾多 (gei2 do1) means 'how much/many' in questions. When saying 'quite delicious', use 幾 (gei2) alone before the adjective, without 多.

  • Pronouncing 幾 with 1st tone (gei1) instead of 2nd tone (gei2)

    gei1 hou2
    gei2 hou2

    Degree 幾 is pronounced with the 2nd tone (gei2, high-rising). Pronouncing it in the 1st tone (gei1) confuses it with 幾乎 (gei1 fu4, 'almost').

How It Connects

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幾Level 1Quite / Fairly

Learn This First

To understand '幾' as a degree marker, you need to know how adjectives work in Cantonese (stative verbs) and be familiar with the basic degree marker '好' for comparison.

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