daam1 ng6耽誤耽误
Jyutpingdaam1 ng6
Yaledāam ngh
Definition
To delay, hold up, or cause a loss of time.
neutraldaily actionswork
How it's used
Focuses on the negative impact of a delay, specifically when it causes someone to miss an opportunity or fail to complete a task. It carries a sense of personal responsibility or regret, making it a common choice when apologizing for making someone wait. Unlike neutral words for delay, this implies that the time lost is significant or problematic.
Examples
Sorry for taking up so much of your time.
What else do you need to do? Don't delay the schedule.
Related words
Common mistake
Often confused with 拖延, which refers to the act of procrastinating or putting off a task. Use 耽誤 when the focus is on the consequence of the delay, whereas 拖延 describes the habit of delaying the start of something.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
