至

Until/through (Formal Span)

Level 3Sounds Like zi3

至 (zi3) has several main roles: a standard marker for ranges ('until/through', 由 A 至 B), a colloquial shorthand for 'only then' (先至), a colloquial superlative marker meaning 'the most' (至好), a marker of necessity (至得), and a key part of words like 甚至 (even), 至少 (at least), and 至多 (at most).

How It Works

至 (zi3) functions in several distinct ways: 1. Range (Until/Through): It marks the endpoint of a span. While it is the written counterpart to dou3, it is standard and commonly used in everyday spoken Cantonese for ranges. Example: 星期一至五 (sing1 kei4 jat1 zi3 ng5; Monday to Friday). 2. Superlative (The Most): As a traditional, well-established colloquial superlative, 至 is placed before an adjective to mean 'the most'. It is commonly used in fixed everyday pairings (e.g., 至叻 zi3 lek1; the smartest, 至抵 zi3 dai2; the best value) and advertising. It is an alternative to zeoi3, which is the standard in both written and everyday spoken Cantonese. Example: 至平 (zi3 peng4; the cheapest). 3. Adverbial Shorthand (Only then): In colloquial speech, 至 is frequently used as a shortened form of 先至 (sin1 zi3; not until/only then). It indicates that action B happens only after action A is finished. Note that while 至 is a valid shorthand, shortening 先至 to sin1 is overwhelmingly more common in modern everyday speech. Example: 做完至食 (zou6 jyun4 zi3 sik6; Don't eat until you finish). 4. Necessity (Must): The sentence-final pattern 至得 (zi3 dak1) or 先至得 (sin1 zi3 dak1) indicates absolute necessity, meaning something 'must' be done. Literally, it breaks down to 'only then' (至) 'is it okay/acceptable' (得), helping learners grasp why it expresses necessity. Example: 你要小心啲至得 (nei5 jiu3 siu2 sam1 di1 zi3 dak1; You really must be more careful). 5. Emphatic Copula (Is truly): The combination 至係 (zi3 hai6) or 先至係 (sin1 zi3 hai6) acts as an emphatic copula, meaning 'is truly', 'is actually', or 'is the real...'. Example: 呢個至係最好 (ni1 go3 zi3 hai6 zeoi3 hou2; This is truly the best). 6. Resultative/Extent (Formal): It can indicate reaching a specific state or extent, often implying 'to the point of' or 'until the end'. This usage is mostly formal or literary. 7. Common Fixed Expressions: 至 is a key component in several high-frequency words, such as 甚至 (sam6 zi3 - even), zi3 jyu1 (as for), zi3 do1 (at most), and zi3 siu2 (at least).

Examples (6)

  1. 呢間舖頭賣嘅嘢至平。

    The things sold in this shop are the cheapest.

    Word by Word: this [classifier] shop sell [possessive] things most cheap.

    Here 至 (zi3) acts as a superlative marker, similar to zeoi3, and is very common in advertising and daily speech.

  2. 你做埋啲功課至好睇電視。

    Don't watch TV until you finish your homework.

    Word by Word: you do finish [plural] homework only then good watch TV.

    In this colloquial sentence, 至 (zi3) is a shorthand for 'only then', indicating a required sequence of events.

  3. 辦公時間為星期一至星期五。

    Office hours are Monday through Friday.

    Word by Word: Office time is Monday to Friday.

    This demonstrates the range usage, which is standard and commonly used in both written notices and everyday spoken announcements.

  4. 呢個計劃至緊要係做好個預算。

    The most important part of this plan is doing the budget well.

    Word by Word: this [classifier] plan most important is do good [classifier] budget.

    至 (zi3) is used here to emphasize the 'most' important aspect.

  5. 等佢到咗至開會。

    Don't start the meeting until he arrives.

    Word by Word: wait until he arrive only then open meeting.

    Another example of the colloquial 'only then' usage, marking the condition required for the next action.

  6. 你要小心啲至得。

    You really must be more careful.

    Word by Word: you need careful a bit must.

    The sentence-final pattern 至得 (zi3 dak1) emphasizes absolute necessity, showing that being careful is strictly required.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 至 (zi3) for 'until' in everyday spoken Cantonese.

    Different Meaning我等你至三點。
    我等你到三點。

    至 (zi3) does mean 'until' and is fine in written contexts such as signs and announcements, but it sounds stiff when speaking. In everyday spoken Cantonese, use dou3 instead.

  • Using 至 (zi3) when you only mean 'at three o'clock'.

    Different Meaning我三點至食飯。
    我三點食飯。

    我三點至食飯 is natural, but 至 here means 'only then': 'I will not eat until three.' For a plain time, just say 我三點食飯. To say 'wait until three', use dou3.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

至Level 3Until/through (Formal Span)

Learn This First

To understand '至' in the context of spans (like Monday through Friday), you first need to understand how Cantonese expresses 'from' using '由' and the standard way of expressing 'to/until' using '到'. '至' serves as a more formal or 'dressier' substitute for '到' in these specific time or location ranges.

Words in This Pattern

至