aa2 baa1啞巴哑巴
Jyutpingaa2 baa1
Yaleá bā
Definition
A mute person; someone who is unable to speak.
colloquialpeople
How it's used
Using this term to describe someone with a speech disability is considered highly offensive and derogatory in modern society. It is far more common to use the term 聾啞人士 when referring to people who are deaf and mute, or simply describing someone as 講唔到嘢. The word is frequently used metaphorically in the phrase 啞巴食黃連 to describe someone who has to suffer in silence without being able to voice their grievances.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
He was a mute when he was young and could not speak.
Common mistake
Avoid using this word in casual conversation to describe someone with a disability, as it carries a strong stigma. If you want to describe someone who is simply being quiet or refusing to talk, use 扮啞 instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
