cing1 ting4蜻蜓
Jyutpingcing1 ting4
Yalechīng tìhng
Definition
Dragonfly; a type of insect with a long body and two pairs of transparent wings.
colloquialanimalsnature
How it's used
Dragonflies are often associated with summer and clear water in local culture. While they are common in rural areas or parks, you will rarely hear them mentioned in urban professional settings unless discussing nature or childhood memories. The term is straightforward and carries no hidden slang meanings.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
There are a few dragonflies flying by the pond.
Did you ever catch dragonflies to play with when you were a kid?
Related words
Common phrases
to skim the surface of the water like a dragonfly, often used metaphorically for doing something superficially
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
