ging1 kei4驚奇惊奇
Jyutpingging1 kei4
Yalegīng kèih
Definition
Surprised, astonished, or taken aback by something unexpected.
neutralemotiondescriptions
How it's used
Expressing surprise in Cantonese often relies on more colloquial terms like 嚇親 or 估唔到. 驚奇 carries a slightly more formal or literary weight compared to everyday speech, often implying a sense of wonder or intellectual astonishment rather than just a sudden shock. It is frequently used to describe a reaction to an achievement or an unexpected turn of events.
Examples
I was really surprised to see him suddenly appear.
I am so surprised that you can actually cook!
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using 驚奇 to describe being physically startled or frightened, as that is better expressed by 嚇親. Learners often use it as a direct translation for any kind of surprise, but it sounds unnatural when describing simple, mundane occurrences.
Grammar color guide
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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.
