haan4 jin4 seoi3 jyu5閒言碎語闲言碎语
Jyutpinghaan4 jin4 seoi3 jyu5
Yalehàahn yìhn seui yúh
Definition
Idle gossip; groundless rumors or chatter.
colloquialcommunicationpeople
How it's used
This phrase carries a dismissive tone, implying that the talk is not only idle but also bothersome or petty. It is often used to advise someone to ignore negative comments from others. Unlike general words for gossip, this specifically highlights the fragmented and trivial nature of the rumors being spread.
Examples
They are always gossiping behind people's backs.
Why do you need to pay attention to that gossip?
Related words
Common phrases
to pay attention to gossip
full of gossip
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a verb, but it is strictly a noun phrase. You cannot use it to mean 'to gossip'; for that action, use the verb phrase 講閒話.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.



