faan3販贩
Jyutpingfaan3
Yalefaan
Definition
To sell or deal in goods.
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How it's used
This character is almost exclusively used in formal or legal contexts, particularly regarding illicit or large scale trade. It carries a negative connotation when paired with illegal activities, such as 販毒 or 販賣人口. In everyday speech, people prefer using 賣 instead of 販.
Examples
They are selling pirated discs on the street.
This person specializes in human trafficking, he has no conscience.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this as a standalone verb in casual conversation, but it is a bound morpheme that requires a second character to form a complete word. Using it alone sounds unnatural and overly formal.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
