aa3 zi1 aa3 zo1阿吱阿咗啊吱啊咗
Jyutpingaa3 zi1 aa3 zo1
Yalea jī a jō
Definition
To whine, complain, or make excuses, especially in a noisy or annoying manner.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
This reduplicated phrase captures the sound of persistent, low-level complaining or muttering that is perceived as irritating. It is specifically used to describe someone who is being uncooperative or difficult by voicing minor grievances rather than addressing the main issue. The tone is almost always dismissive or impatient on the part of the speaker.
Examples
Stop whining, get to work quickly.
He is always whining there, it is so annoying.
Related words
Common phrases
always whining
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe someone who is genuinely upset or expressing a serious concern, as it trivializes the person's speech and implies they are just being annoying.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
