caau2 naau6吵鬧吵闹
Jyutpingcaau2 naau6
Yalecháau naauh
Definition
Noisy, rowdy, or boisterous; lacking quiet.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
While 吵鬧 describes a state of being noisy, Cantonese speakers often prefer using 嘈 to describe the sensation of noise itself. 嘈 is more versatile and can function as a verb meaning to make noise, whereas 吵鬧 feels slightly more descriptive of an environment or a group's behavior. Using 嘈死人 or 嘈到拆天 is much more common when complaining about excessive volume.
Examples
The room is so noisy, how am I supposed to sleep?
They were being rowdy outside all night long.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use 吵鬧 in contexts where 嘈 is more natural. 吵鬧 can sound slightly formal or literary in casual conversation, so sticking to 嘈 is usually safer for everyday complaints about noise.
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.
