dung6 daan6動彈动弹
Jyutpingdung6 daan6
Yaleduhng daahn
Definition
To move; to budge.
colloquialdaily actionsbody
How it's used
While 動彈 is understood in Cantonese, it carries a slightly more formal or literary tone compared to the ubiquitous 郁. It is frequently used in negative constructions to emphasize a complete inability to move, often due to physical restraint, injury, or extreme fear. In casual daily speech, native speakers almost exclusively prefer 郁.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
unable to move
Common mistake
Learners often overuse 動彈 in everyday situations where 郁 is much more natural. Using 動彈 to describe simple actions like moving a chair or shifting one's position can sound stiff or overly dramatic.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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.
