gon1乾
Jyutpinggon1
Yalegōn
Definition
Dry; lacking moisture or water.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
Beyond the literal meaning of lacking moisture, 乾 is frequently used to describe a situation that is boring, dull, or lacking substance. It can also describe a person who is blunt or lacks social grace. When referring to money, it implies being broke or having no cash on hand.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse 乾 with 渴, which is specifically used for thirst. While you can say 喉嚨乾 to describe a dry throat, you must use 渴 when expressing the feeling of needing to drink water.
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.
