即zik1係hai6

English

1. (adverb) same as; exactly as; equivalent to; 'which means' or 'which is to say', usually used before explanations
2. to be; to be equal to; to mean
3. that means
4. it's like; let me put it this way

粵語 — Cantonese

1. 等於；意思係
2. 代表，可以理解成
3. 等我用呢個方式表達；通常後面用嚟帶出自己嘅觀點、睇法

Examples

• 一米即係幾長呀？

  How long is a meter?

• 佢笑即係接受你囉！

  She gives you a smile, that means she accepts you.

• 「炒貴刁」即係炒河粉。

  "Char kway teow" means stir-fried hor fun.

• 即係你想去咪去囉，係咪先？

  Well, if you want to go, then go. Right?

• 樣衰咗咪認囉，即係你又唔係第一次。

  Just admit that you made a fool of yourself, like it's not the first time this happened.

• 如果我唔覆，即係我唔得閒，唔好打俾我。

  If I don't reply, that means I am not free. Don't call me. ----

• 係。噉就即係唯有即係辛苦各位聽眾呢，聽埋哩隻歌先。

  Yes, that's just the hard stuff. Listen to this song.

  Tatoeba · LeeSooHa CC BY

• 一隻馬拉緊架馬車；隻馬令到架馬車能夠郁－即係將動能俾咗架馬車。

  One is pulling a carriage; the horse enables the carriage to move - that is giving the kinetic energy to the carriage.

  Tatoeba CC BY