gaam3 gaai3尷尬尴尬
Jyutpinggaam3 gaai3
Yalegaam gaai
Definition
Awkward or embarrassed; feeling uncomfortable and not knowing how to react because of the presence or reactions of others.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
Focuses specifically on the social discomfort caused by being the center of attention or facing an unexpected situation. It is frequently used with the intensifier 勁 to emphasize the intensity of the feeling. Unlike some other adjectives, it is almost exclusively used to describe a personal feeling of social unease rather than a situation that is inherently shameful.
Examples
It was really embarrassing when they fell over in public.
How do you expect people to answer when you ask such awkward questions?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 羞恥, which implies a deeper sense of shame or moral guilt. Use 尷尬 when you feel awkward or socially exposed, not when you have done something morally wrong.
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.
