bong1 bong1幫幫帮帮
Jyutpingbong1 bong1
Yalebōng bōng
Definition
Please help; to assist.
colloquialdaily actionspeople
How it's used
Doubling the verb 幫 creates a softer, more pleading, or polite tone compared to a single 幫. It is frequently used when asking for a small favor or when the speaker feels slightly desperate for assistance. Adding 手 to form 幫幫手 is extremely common in daily life to make the request sound less demanding and more casual.
Examples
Can you give me a hand and help me carry these things?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use 幫幫 as a direct translation for help in all contexts, but it is specifically for requesting assistance. It cannot be used as a noun like the English word help, so you should never say 佢需要幫幫.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
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.
