can4塵尘
Jyutpingcan4
Yalechàhn
Definition
Dust or dirt; fine particles floating in the air or settling on surfaces.
colloquialhomedaily actions
How it's used
Often used with the verb 抹 to describe cleaning surfaces. When referring to a thick layer of dust, speakers frequently use the phrase 積塵 to emphasize accumulation over time.
Measure word
cang4層chànghExamples
The room hasn't been tidied for a long time, there is dust all over the floor.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse 塵 with 泥, which refers specifically to soil or mud. While dust can contain soil particles, 塵 is used for the fine, airborne particles found indoors, whereas 泥 is for dirt found outdoors on the ground.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
