fat1囫
Jyutpingfat1
Yalefāt
Definition
Whole or entire; usually used in the compound word "囫圇".
writtendaily actionsdescriptions
How it's used
Rarely used as a standalone character in modern speech, it almost exclusively appears in the four-character idiom 囫圇吞棗. It carries a sense of swallowing something without chewing or processing it properly. While it can technically mean whole, native speakers will almost always use 整 or 全部 instead for general contexts.
Examples
He swallowed the apple whole.
Don't just read books without digesting the content.
Related words
Common phrases
to swallow a date whole; to read without understanding
Common mistake
Learners often try to use it as a direct translation for whole in everyday sentences, but it sounds extremely literary or archaic. Stick to 囫圇吞棗 for idiomatic usage and avoid using it as a general adjective for whole.
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.
