haan4 saan3閒散闲散
Jyutpinghaan4 saan3
Yalehàahn saan
Definition
To idle, loaf, or be leisurely and unoccupied.
colloquialdaily actionspeople
How it's used
Describes a state of being idle or lacking a specific purpose, often carrying a slightly negative connotation of wasting time. It implies a lack of ambition or productivity rather than just taking a short break. Use it when you want to criticize someone for being aimless or unproductive for an extended period.
Examples
He is always loafing around at home and not doing anything.
Don't keep loafing around anymore, hurry up and find a job.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 休息, which implies a well-deserved or necessary break from work. 閒散 suggests a lack of drive or laziness, whereas 休息 is neutral or positive.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Adjective
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
