呢啲/嗰啲

These / Those

Level 1Sounds Like ne1 di1 / go2 di1

呢啲 (ni1 di1) means 'these' or 'this stuff' (near the speaker), while 嗰啲 (go2 di1) means 'those' or 'that stuff' (far from the speaker). Use them for multiple items or uncountable quantities.

How It Works

1. Proximal vs. Distal: 呢 (ni1) vs. 嗰 (go2)
In Cantonese, spatial distance is marked by 呢 (ni1) ('this' - close to speaker) and 嗰 (go2) ('that' - far from speaker). Combining them with the plural classifier 啲 (di1) creates demonstrative plurals:

Note that 一啲 (jat1 di1) means 'some' without pointing to specific items, whereas 呢啲 / 嗰啲 explicitly point to 'these' or 'those'.

2. Core Usage Patterns
You can use 呢啲 and 嗰啲 in two ways:

  • As a determiner before a noun: 呢啲 / 嗰啲 + Noun
    Example: 呢啲書 (ni1 di1 syu1) = 'these books', 嗰啲水 (go2 di1 seoi2) = 'that water'.
  • As a standalone pronoun: 呢啲 / 嗰啲 (as subject or object)
    Example: 我想要呢啲 (ngo5 soeng2 jiu3 ni1 di1) = 'I want these.'

3. Plural and Uncountable Nouns
Unlike individual classifiers like 個 (go3) or 本 (bun2), 啲 (di1) handles count nouns in the plural as well as uncountable mass nouns (e.g., 呢啲水 ni1 di1 seoi2 'this water').

4. Crucial Grammar Rules & Quantities

  • No Double Classifiers: Because 啲 (di1) is already acting as the classifier, never place another classifier after it (e.g., say 呢啲蘋果 ni1 di1 ping4 gwo2, NOT 呢啲個蘋果).
  • Indefinite Plurals vs. Exact Quantities: 呢啲 is valid for any indefinite plural group regardless of count (including two items if count isn't specified). However, if you want to explicitly state an exact number, use the structure 呢 / 嗰 + Number + Classifier + Noun, such as 呢兩本書 (ni1 loeng5 bun2 syu1) ('these two books').

5. Colloquial Idiom: 講呢啲
A very common expression in everyday speech is 講呢啲 (gong2 ni1 di1, literally 'saying these things'). It is used playfully to mean 'Oh, stop teasing!', 'Flattery will get you everywhere!', or 'Don't talk about that!'.

Examples (4)

  1. 呢啲餸好好食。

    These dishes are very delicious.

    Word by Word: these dishes very good eat

    呢啲 (ni1 di1) modifies 餸 (sung3, dishes) to indicate 'these dishes'.

  2. 嗰啲人係邊個呀？

    Who are those people?

    Word by Word: those people are who particle

    嗰啲 (go2 di1) points to a group of people further away from the speaker.

  3. 我想買呢啲，唔要嗰啲。

    I want to buy these, I don't want those.

    Word by Word: I want buy these, not want those

    Here 呢啲 and 嗰啲 stand alone as pronouns for 'these' and 'those'.

  4. 呢啲水好乾淨。

    This water is very clean.

    Word by Word: this mass water very clean

    呢啲 is used here with the uncountable noun 水 (seoi2, water) to mean 'this water'.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding an individual classifier after 呢啲 or 嗰啲

    呢啲個蘋果好甜。
    呢啲蘋果好甜。

    啲 (di1) already serves as the plural classifier. Adding another classifier like 個 (go3) creates an ungrammatical double-classifier structure.

  • Omitting 啲 when attempting to specify plural nouns

    呢蘋果好甜。
    呢啲蘋果好甜。

    Demonstratives like 呢 (ni1) cannot directly attach to a noun to mean 'these'. You must include the plural classifier 啲 (di1) to form 呢啲.

  • Combining a number directly with 啲 (e.g., 呢兩啲) instead of using the specific classifier

    呢兩啲書係我嘅。
    呢兩本書係我嘅。

    啲 (di1) is used for general indefinite plural groups ('these'). When specifying an exact quantity such as two items, use 呢 + Number + Classifier (e.g., 呢兩本書 ni1 loeng5 bun2 syu1) rather than combining a number with 啲.

How It Connects

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呢啲/嗰啲Level 1These / Those

Learn This First

To understand '呢啲' (these) and '嗰啲' (those), you first need to know the basic demonstrative roots for 'this' and 'that' (呢/嗰) and how the particle '啲' functions as a plural classifier.

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