cat1 hak1漆黑
Jyutpingcat1 hak1
Yalechāt hāk
Definition
Pitch-black
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
This adjective is specifically reserved for environments that are completely devoid of light, often carrying a slightly dramatic or literary tone compared to simple words like 黑. It is almost always paired with 一片 to emphasize the vastness or totality of the darkness. While it can describe a room or a street, it is rarely used to describe the color of an object like a shirt or a car.
Examples
gaan3 fong2 cat1 hak1 jat1 pin2 haak3 sei2 ngo5 aa4
間房漆黑一片，嚇死我呀。
The room is pitch black, it scared me to death.
nei5 hai2 cat1 hak1 jap6 min6 dim2 joeng2 wan2 dou3 so2 si4
你喺漆黑入面點樣搵到鎖匙？
How did you find the keys in the pitch black?
Related words
Common phrases
cat1 hak1 jat1 pin2
漆黑一片
pitch black all around
cat1 hak1 zi1 zung1
漆黑之中
in the middle of the darkness
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use it to describe dark colors, but it strictly refers to the absence of light in a space. Use 深色 for dark colors instead.
Tone guide
T1High level
T2High rising
T3Mid level
T4Low falling
T5Low rising
T6Low level
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
