gin3 ngaa4 m4 gin3 ngaan5見牙唔見眼见牙唔见眼
Jyutpinggin3 ngaa4 m4 gin3 ngaan5
Yalegin ngàh m̀h gin ngáahn
Definition
To smile broadly or grin from ear to ear; to laugh very happily.
colloquialemotiondescriptions
How it's used
Captures the genuine, uninhibited joy of a person whose eyes crinkle shut while they laugh. It is a vivid, idiomatic way to describe someone who is genuinely delighted or amused. Unlike a polite or forced smile, this implies the person is completely overcome by happiness.
Examples
He beams from ear to ear whenever he sees his grandchild.
Why are you grinning so broadly? Did something good happen?
Related words
Common phrases
to laugh until one's eyes crinkle shut
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a fake or sarcastic smile, as it specifically implies sincere, overwhelming joy. It is a descriptive phrase for the physical appearance of a laugh rather than a verb for smiling itself.
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.
