e4誒诶
Jyutpinge4
Yaleèh
Definition
An interjection used when hesitating, stuttering, or trying to think of what to say.
colloquialparticlecommunication
How it's used
Functions as a filler sound similar to the English um or er, used to buy time while searching for the right words or to soften the start of a sentence. It often signals a slight hesitation or a shift in topic during a conversation. Unlike formal markers, it is strictly a spoken phenomenon that helps maintain the flow of speech without awkward silences.
Examples
Um, where did you say we were going to eat earlier?
Um... I am not really sure about this question.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the exclamation 哎, which is used to express surprise, pain, or annoyance. While they may look similar in some scripts, 誒 is specifically for hesitation, whereas 哎 carries a stronger emotional charge.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
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Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
