ceng1 baak6青白
Jyutpingceng1 baak6
Yalechēng baahk
Definition
Pale, wan, or sallow, typically referring to a person's complexion.
colloquialbodyhealth
How it's used
Describes a sickly or drained appearance, often associated with illness, fear, or exhaustion. It focuses specifically on the loss of healthy, rosy skin tones rather than just having a light complexion. It is frequently used to describe someone who looks like they might faint.
Examples
His face looks pale after being sick.
Why is your complexion so pale?
Related words
Common phrases
pale complexion
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe someone who is naturally fair-skinned, as it implies an unhealthy state. Use 白淨 for someone who is naturally fair.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
