caan3孱

Jyutpingcaan3

Yalechaan

形容詞Rare

Definition

Weak, feeble, or delicate; can also refer to a weakling.

weak; feeble; delicate
slangweakling

colloquialbodyhealth

How it's used

Often used to describe someone who appears physically frail or lacks stamina, rather than just being thin. It carries a slightly derogatory or pitying tone, implying that the person is not robust enough for physical exertion or prone to illness. It is frequently paired with body-related terms to emphasize a lack of vitality.

Examples

keoi5佢go3個jan4人hou2好saan4孱，hang4行loeng5兩bou6步dou1都cyun2喘hei3氣。

He is very weak, he gets out of breath after walking a few steps.

nei5你sik6食gam3咁siu2少je5嘢，naan4難gwaai3怪san1身tai2體gam3咁saan4孱laa1啦。

You eat so little, no wonder your body is so weak.

Common phrases

saan4孱joek6弱

frail and weak

san1身zi2子saan4孱

physically weak

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with 潺, which is used to describe liquid flowing or a slimy texture. While they share a similar visual component, they are not interchangeable.