baa1 zik1吧唧
Jyutpingbaa1 zik1
Yalebā jīk
Definition
To smack one's lips.
colloquialdaily actionsfood
How it's used
Representing the sound of eating, this word is onomatopoeic and carries a slightly negative or annoyed connotation. It is almost exclusively used to describe someone eating in a way that is considered impolite or noisy. Because it mimics a sound, it is frequently repeated as 吧唧吧唧 to emphasize the repetitive nature of the action.
Examples
He eats very loudly, always smacking his lips.
Can you please stop smacking your lips while eating?
Related words
Common phrases
smacking sounds while eating
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with Mandarin loanwords or formal descriptions of eating. It is strictly colloquial and specifically targets the sound of the mouth opening and closing during chewing, rather than just eating quickly or messily.
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.
