佢
keoi⁵feminine, masculine
The Cantonese word for the English pronoun "he" is 佢 (keoi⁵). Wiktionary also lists 他 (ta¹).
Meaning: personal pronoun "he" (pron)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 佢 | keoi⁵ | feminine, masculine |
| 他 | ta¹ | formal |
Which one should you use?
The colloquial form 佢 is gender-neutral and can mean he, she or it.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form 他 is used primarily in written, formal contexts rather than in spoken Cantonese.
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun 佢 does not change its form based on whether it is the subject or the object of a sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
keoi⁵
Did you know?
- The character 佢 is a distinct Cantonese character not used in Standard Mandarin, where the pronoun 'he' is expressed by 他.
- When speaking about someone with high social status, Cantonese speakers often avoid 佢 entirely and instead use the person's title or relationship to the speaker.
- In traditional Cantonese opera and literature, you may encounter the word 彼, an archaic pronoun for 'he' or 'that person' which is almost never used in modern conversation.
Examples in context
- 佢屋企喺邊？Where does he live?This example shows how to use 佢 to ask about someone's home.Tatoeba #385614 by nickyeow, translation #292024 by CK
- 佢嚟咗未呀？Has he come yet?This example shows how to use 佢 to ask if someone has arrived.Tatoeba #460646 by nickyeow, translation #293048 by CK
- 佢企咗起身。He stood up.This example shows how to use 佢 to describe an action performed by a person.Tatoeba #519159 by nickyeow, translation #517531 by blay_paul
- 我鍾意佢。I like him.
- 佢好開心。男仔笑得好大聲。He is very happy. The boy is laughing loudly.
- 590 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mei Ling and Chi Keung are talking about a mutual friend at a cafe.
- 美玲 Mei Ling佢今日返唔返工呀？keoi5 gam1 jat6 faan1 m4 faan1 gung1 aa3?Is he coming to work today?
- 志強 Chi Keung佢話今日唔返工。keoi5 waa6 gam1 jat6 m4 faan1 gung1.He said he is not working today.
- 美玲 Mei Ling佢去咗邊呀？keoi5 heoi3 zo2 bin1 aa3?Where did he go?
- 志強 Chi Keung佢可能去咗旅行。keoi5 ho2 nang4 heoi3 zo2 leoi5 hang4.He might have gone traveling.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “he” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
