ban2 san4稟神禀神
Jyutpingban2 san4
Yalebán sàhn
Definition
To mumble or mutter to oneself.
colloquialdaily actionscommunication
How it's used
Evokes the image of someone praying or reciting scriptures in a low, rhythmic, and unintelligible voice. It is used metaphorically to describe anyone who is talking to themselves in a way that is hard for others to follow or understand. The tone is often slightly impatient or dismissive.
Examples
What are you mumbling about? Come on, let's go.
Related words
Common phrases
muttering away
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with actual religious prayer, as the term is almost exclusively used to describe someone muttering in a way that is annoying or confusing to the listener. It is not a respectful term for formal worship.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
