dang2 zan6等陣等阵
Jyutpingdang2 zan6
Yaledáng jahn
Definition
To wait a moment; to hang on for a short while.
colloquialtimedaily actions
How it's used
Functions as both an imperative to pause and a temporal marker meaning later. When used as a temporal marker, it implies an indefinite but short period of time in the near future. It is extremely versatile and frequently appears at the start of sentences to signal a shift in plans or a request for patience.
Examples
Are we going to eat later?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using it to mean a specific duration like five minutes, as it is inherently vague. It should not be confused with 陣間, which specifically refers to a later time in the day rather than a request to wait.
Grammar color guide
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Verb
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Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
