The rule: near you → 呢個 (ni1 go3); away from you → 嗰個 (go2 go3). The pointing finger decides: 呢 (ni1) is the near-pointer, 嗰 (go2) the far-pointer, and 個 (go3) is the one (of them) classifier they share. Mandarin maps the same way: 這個 vs 那個.
| 呢個 | 嗰個 | |
|---|---|---|
| Jyutping | ni1 go3 (both high flat, tone 1) | go2 go3 (rising 2, then flat 1) |
| Job | This one — near the speaker | That one — away from the speaker |
| Built from | 呢 (ni1, this) + 個 (go3) | 嗰 (go2, that) + 個 (go3) |
| Mandarin twin | 這個 (zhège) | 那個 (nàge) |
| Situation | Say | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Ordering, pointing at the menu board | 呢個，唔該 | It's in front of you — 呢個 |
| That table across the room is free | 嗰張枱冇人 | Over there, not here — 嗰 |
| "This is mine, that is yours" | 呢個係我嘅，嗰個係你嘅 | Near/far split in one breath |
| "Who is that person?" | 嗰個係邊個 | A person over there — 嗰個 |
| "These books are whose?" | 呢啲書係邊個嘅 | Several items — 呢啲, not 呢個 |
| Shopkeeper asks which: this or that | 呢個定嗰個 | 定 (ding6) joins the pair as "or" |
Saying 嗰個 while touching the thing — pointing at your own plate and saying "that one" tells the waiter to look elsewhere. Finger on it: 呢個. Finger away: 嗰個. Drill it at a menu board until the tone pair ni1-go3 / go2-go3 is automatic.
More learner answers on the FAQ page; the other location classic: 係 vs 喺; Mandarin speakers start here: ni hao in Cantonese; head-to-head dictionary picks on best Cantonese dictionary.
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