can1 san1親身亲身
Jyutpingcan1 san1
Yalechān sān
Definition
In person; firsthand or by oneself.
colloquialdaily actionspeople
How it's used
Focuses on the physical presence or direct involvement of the subject. It emphasizes that the action is not delegated to someone else or learned through hearsay. It is frequently used with verbs of action or experience to highlight the authenticity of the encounter.
Examples
You have to handle this matter in person.
Have you experienced it yourself yet?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 自己, which simply means self. 親身 specifically carries the nuance of being physically present or directly involved in an event, rather than just doing something on one's own.
Grammar color guide
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Verb
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Particle
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Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
