cyu4躇
Jyutpingcyu4
Yalechyùh
Definition
To hesitate or be undecided.
colloquialdaily actionsdescriptions
How it's used
While 躇 appears in formal contexts, it is frequently used in spoken Cantonese as a verb to describe the physical or mental state of being stuck in indecision. It often carries a sense of pacing back and forth or lingering in one spot because one cannot make up their mind. It is common to add the aspect marker 緊 to indicate the ongoing process of hesitating.
Examples
He hesitated for a long time and still hasn't decided.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 躇 with 猶豫, which is the standard two-character term for hesitation. While 猶豫 is perfectly acceptable in speech, 躇 is more vivid and specifically captures the feeling of being physically or mentally stalled.
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.
