你
lí
In Hokkien, the English word 'you' is expressed as 你 (lí).
你 is a subject pronoun used to refer to the person being addressed.
Meaning: subject pronoun: the person being addressed (pron)
Which one should you use?
While 你 is a standard form, the form 汝 (also pronounced lí) is often used in place of 你 in informal or spoken contexts. Additionally, if you wish to change the singular 'you' to the plural 'you all', you should use 恁 (lín).
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the plural 'you', use the form 恁 (lín) instead of the singular 你 (lí).
How do you pronounce it?
lí
Did you know?
- When asking someone if they have eaten using 你 (lí), the phrase often functions as a general greeting like 'hello' rather than a literal question about food.
- If you are speaking to someone much older than you, using the standard 'lí' can be perceived as a lack of respect. In those cases, speakers often omit the pronoun entirely or use a kinship term instead.
- The written form 你 is actually a loanword from Mandarin Chinese. In traditional Hokkien writing, the more indigenous character 汝 is typically used to represent the sound 'lí'.
Examples in context
- 你有食飯無？Have you eaten yet?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has eaten using 你.Tatoeba #6401584 by RickShaw, translation #382317 by cburgmer
- 你愛去佗位？lí ài khì tó uī?Where do you want to go?
- 你真好。lí chin hó.You are very kind.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Zhiming and Jiayi are meeting at a cafe.
- 志明 Chi-ming你到著了嗎？lí kàu-tio̍h lah–mahHave you arrived?
- 佳怡 Chia-yi我才到。guá chái kàuI just arrived.
- 志明 Chi-ming你佇佗位？lí tī tó-uīWhere are you?
- 佳怡 Chia-yi我在門口。guá tī mûn-kháuI am at the entrance.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
