企
kei⁵
To stand in Cantonese is 企 (kei⁵).
The verb 企 describes the action of supporting oneself on the feet in an erect position.
Meaning: to support oneself on the feet in an erect position (verb)
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the specific action of standing up, you can add the directional complement 起身 (kei⁵ saang¹¹) to the verb, resulting in 企起身. If you need to specify a location where someone is standing, use the preposition 喺 (hai⁵) after the verb, such as 企喺. By adding the particle 度 (dou⁶) after the preposition, you can form the common expression 企喺度 to mean standing here or standing there.
How do you pronounce it?
kei⁵
Did you know?
- In Cantonese, the phrase 企喺門口 (standing at the door) can be used metaphorically to describe someone who is an outsider or not fully accepted into a social circle.
- The term 企位 refers to a 'standing ticket' for a train or bus, but it is also used colloquially to describe a precarious or unstable job position.
- In a playful or scolding context, telling a child to 企喺度 can function as a 'time-out' punishment, requiring them to stand still and reflect.
Examples in context
- 唔好企咁埋。Don't stand too close.This sentence demonstrates how to use 企 to tell someone not to stand too close.Tatoeba #5795366 by nickyeow, translation #2271339 by CK
- 老師叫我企起身。The teacher told me to stand up.This sentence shows the use of 企 combined with the complement to mean standing up.Tatoeba #534285 by nickyeow, translation #272966 by CK
- 唔該面對面咁企吖！Please stand face to face.This sentence illustrates using 企 to request that someone stand face to face.Tatoeba #12109783 by thesilhouette, translation #240590 by CM
- 請起立齊唱國歌。Please stand up and sing the national anthem together.
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are waiting for a bus at a stop.
- 志強 Chi Keung美玲，你喺邊度企？Mei Ling, nei hai bin dou kei?Mei Ling, where are you standing?
- 美玲 Mei Ling我企喺個燈柱隔離。ngo kei hai go dang zyu gakk lei.I am standing next to the lamp post.
- 志強 Chi Keung我見唔到你，我而家行過嚟。ngo gin m dou nei, ngo yi ga haang gwo lei.I can't see you, I'm walking over now.
- 美玲 Mei Ling好，我喺度企住等你。hou, ngo hai dou kei zyu dang nei.Okay, I'll stay standing here waiting for you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “stand” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
