fan3焚
Jyutpingfan3
Yalefan
Definition
To burn or destroy by fire.
writtendaily actions
How it's used
Unlike the common verb 燒, which is used for everything from cooking food to lighting a cigarette, 焚 is a formal morpheme restricted to written or technical contexts. It almost exclusively appears in compound words related to destruction by fire or ceremonial burning. You will rarely hear it in casual spoken Cantonese unless you are discussing specific infrastructure like a crematorium or an incinerator.
Examples
The trash needs to be taken to the incinerator for processing.
There was a big fire here before, and many houses were burned down.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use 焚 as a standalone verb in conversation. If you want to say something is burning, use 燒 instead.
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.
