ce2 haa1扯蝦扯虾
Jyutpingce2 haa1
Yaleché hā
Definition
To pant or breathe heavily; to wheeze.
colloquialbodyhealth
How it's used
Originally describing the wheezing sound of someone struggling to breathe, this term is now commonly used for any heavy, labored breathing after physical exertion. It carries a slightly informal or dramatic tone compared to medical terms. When someone is really out of breath, you often hear it combined with the particle 晒 to emphasize the intensity of the panting.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with literal shrimp, as the character 蝦 is used here purely for its phonetic sound to mimic the wheezing noise. It is not a formal term for asthma and should be avoided in professional medical contexts.
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.
