ceng1 bi1 bi1青啤啤
Jyutpingceng1 bi1 bi1
Yalechēng bī bī
Definition
Vibrant or excessively green, often used with a negative connotation, such as for pale skin or unripe fruit.
colloquialdescriptionshealth
How it's used
This reduplicated adjective describes a sickly, pale, or unnatural shade of green. It is frequently used to describe the appearance of someone who is nauseous or unwell, or fruit that is hard and clearly not ready to eat. The repetition adds a sense of intensity or vividness to the color description.
Examples
This apple is bright green, it must be unripe.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a pleasant or vibrant green, such as the color of a healthy leaf or a nice piece of clothing. It carries a negative connotation of being sickly, unripe, or unappealing.
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.
