daam3 zi2擔子担子
Jyutpingdaam3 zi2
Yaledaam jí
Definition
A burden, load, or pressure.
colloquialpeopleemotion
How it's used
Often used metaphorically to describe the weight of life responsibilities like family or work. It carries a sense of physical weight being transferred to an abstract duty, making it sound more taxing than the generic word 負擔.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
He carries the whole family on his own, the burden is very heavy.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the physical act of carrying something with a shoulder pole, which is also called 擔. While the noun form refers to the burden itself, the verb form is specific to the traditional method of carrying loads.
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.
