cyut3 jin4猝然
Jyutpingcyut3 jin4
Yalechyut yìhn
Definition
Suddenly or abruptly.
writtendescriptions
How it's used
While synonymous with 突然, this word carries a more literary and formal tone. It is rarely used in casual, everyday speech, where 突然 or 霎時間 are much more common. Using it in a conversation can make you sound like you are reading from a news report or a novel.
Examples
He turned around suddenly and gave me a fright.
Why did you suddenly decide not to go on the trip?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use this word in casual settings where it sounds overly dramatic or stiff. Stick to 突然 for daily life to avoid sounding unnatural.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
