gam1甘

Jyutpinggam1

Yalegām

語素Common

Definition

Sweet; pleasant.

colloquialfooddescriptions

How it's used

While 甘 is often used to describe a pleasant sweetness, it specifically refers to a mellow or refined sweetness rather than the sharp, sugary taste of 甜. It is frequently associated with the lingering aftertaste of high quality tea or certain traditional Chinese medicines. Using it to describe candy or desserts can sound slightly poetic or old fashioned.

Examples

ni1呢bui1杯caa4茶jam2飲lok6落heoi3去hou2好gam1甘aa3呀。

This cup of tea tastes quite sweet.

nei5你gok3覺dak1得ni1呢go3個saang1生gwo2果gau3夠m4唔gau3夠gam1甘？

Do you think this fruit is sweet enough?

Common phrases

wui4回gam1甘

sweet aftertaste

gam1甘tim4甜

sweet and mellow

Common mistake

Learners often confuse 甘 with 甜. Remember that 甜 is the general, everyday word for sweet, whereas 甘 implies a more nuanced, often herbal or tea related sweetness.