bun3 lak6 kaa1半勒卡
Jyutpingbun3 lak6 kaa1
Yalebun lahk kā
Definition
Halfway; somewhere in between; incomplete.
colloquialdaily actions
How it's used
Describes a state of being stuck in limbo or failing to reach a clear conclusion. It carries a slightly negative connotation of inefficiency or lack of commitment. You will often hear it used when someone is indecisive or when a project is left in an unfinished, messy state.
Examples
The matter is stuck halfway, it is really awkward.
Don't do things halfway, you need to finish it all at once.
Related words
Common phrases
to end up in a state of limbo
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the English loanword half-half, which is used to describe a fifty-fifty split or a mix of two things. 半勒卡 specifically implies a failure to progress or a state of being caught in the middle of a process.
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.
