bam1 hei3泵氣泵气
Jyutpingbam1 hei3
Yalebām hei
Definition
To inflate or pump up with air or gas.
colloquialdaily actionstransport
How it's used
Derived from the English word pump, this term is almost exclusively used for inflating tires or sports balls. It functions as a separable verb where the object can be placed between 泵 and 氣, such as 泵咗個波氣. It is a very practical, everyday term that avoids the more formal or technical vocabulary found in written Chinese.
Examples
The bike has no air, please pump it up for me.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the slang term 泵水, which means to provide money or to fund someone, as the context is completely different.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
