dyun1 loeng4端量
Jyutpingdyun1 loeng4
Yaledyūn lèuhng
Definition
To look someone up and down, sizing them up.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This term implies a deliberate, often critical or suspicious, visual assessment of someone. It carries a slightly formal or literary weight compared to common verbs like 望 or 睇, making it sound more descriptive when used in conversation. It is specifically reserved for the act of scrutinizing a person's appearance or demeanor.
Examples
He looked me up and down from head to toe for a long time.
Related words
Common phrases
to look someone up and down
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a general word for looking at something, but it is strictly used for observing people. Using it to describe looking at an object or a landscape sounds unnatural and overly dramatic.
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.
