caan4 ngaan5巉眼
Jyutpingcaan4 ngaan5
Yalechàahn ngáahn
Definition
Too bright for the eyes; dazzling or stinging to the eyes.
colloquialbodydescriptions
How it's used
Describes a physical sensation of discomfort caused by excessive light or glare. It is specifically used for visual irritation rather than just general brightness. You will often hear it when someone is adjusting a screen or complaining about high beam headlights at night.
Examples
The sun is so big, it's stinging my eyes.
Related words
Common phrases
the light is stinging the eyes
very stinging to the eyes
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 刺眼, which is a more formal or written term. 巉眼 is the natural, everyday way to express this feeling in spoken Cantonese.
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.
