What is the function of 哩? (Cantonese)

Question

What is the function of 哩 in 哩兩個人好相似?

And how different is it if you just say 兩個人好相似?

Answer 1

The standard character for ni1 / nei1 is 呢, not 哩, which mean 'mile'

呢兩個人好相似

呢 in this context functions as 'this'

呢 (this)

兩個人 (two persons)

好相似 (very alike)

呢 http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/1029/

jyutping: ni1 / nei1

[粵][pron][adj] this

~

And how different is it if you just say 兩個人好相似?

• 呢兩個人好相似 (this two people are very alike)

• 兩個人好相似 (two people are very alike)

It is just like omitting 'this' in "(this) two people are very alike" in English.

You can omit '呢/this' if we know which two persons the sentence is referring to