ci1 lei6 gan1黐脷根
Jyutpingci1 lei6 gan1
Yalechī leih gān
Definition
To suffer from tongue-tie, or to speak with a lisp.
- technicalto have ankyloglossia (tongue-tie), affecting pronunciation
- to speak with a lisp; to struggle with sibilant sounds
colloquialbodydescriptions
How it's used
While medically referring to ankyloglossia, this term is frequently used in casual conversation to tease someone who struggles with sibilant sounds. It carries a slightly informal or mocking tone, so avoid using it to describe someone with a genuine speech impediment unless you are very close to them. It is specifically associated with the inability to distinguish between sounds like 's' and 'sh'.
Examples
He speaks with a lisp, it sounds like a little kid.
Related words
Common phrases
to speak with a lisp
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe someone who is simply speaking quickly or mumbling. It specifically refers to the phonetic inability to articulate certain consonants clearly.
Grammar color guide
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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.
