de2 sing1 de2 hei3嗲聲嗲氣嗲声嗲气
Jyutpingde2 sing1 de2 hei3
Yaledé sīng dé hei
Definition
Speaking in a coquettish, sweet, or seductive voice to tease or attract someone.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This expression carries a strong nuance of performative femininity, often implying that the speaker is intentionally manipulating their tone to gain favor or attention. It is almost exclusively used to describe women and can range from being seen as playful and romantic to being perceived as annoying or fake depending on the context. Using this to describe someone is rarely a neutral observation and usually signals that the speaker finds the behavior either charming or calculated.
Examples
She is always speaking in a seductive, coquettish tone in front of her boyfriend.
Don't try to use that seductive, babyish voice on me, just say what you need to say.
Related words
Common phrases
to speak in a coquettish, seductive manner
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe a naturally soft or gentle voice, as it specifically implies a flirtatious or babyish affectation rather than a person's baseline vocal quality.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
