faan3 maai6販賣贩卖
Jyutpingfaan3 maai6
Yalefaan maaih
Definition
To traffic, peddle, or sell illicit goods.
neutralwork
How it's used
Focuses specifically on the illicit or black market nature of the trade. While 賣 simply means to sell, 販賣 carries a heavier, more criminal connotation often associated with smuggling or prohibited items. It is frequently used in news reports or formal warnings regarding illegal activities.
Examples
They actually dare to traffic those prohibited items.
Do you know that selling these goods is illegal?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this for everyday retail transactions like selling clothes or food, as it implies a criminal act. Use 賣 or 出售 for legitimate business activities instead.
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.
