fat1彿
Jyutpingfat1
Yalefāt
Definition
Seemingly; as if; appearing to be.
colloquialdescriptionspeople
How it's used
Used primarily in the reduplicated form 彿彿哋 to describe a state of being dazed, absent-minded, or not fully present. It conveys a sense of mental haziness or being disconnected from one's immediate surroundings. Unlike formal descriptions of appearance, this is strictly colloquial and carries a slightly dismissive or teasing tone when directed at someone else.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the formal literary usage of 彷彿, which means 'as if' or 'seemingly'. In spoken Cantonese, the single character 彿 is rarely used on its own outside of the reduplicated state 彿彿哋.
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.
