hak1 maa1 maa1黑媽媽黑妈妈
Jyutpinghak1 maa1 maa1
Yalehāk mā mā
Definition
Pitch-black, extremely dark, or poorly lit.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
This reduplicated adjective emphasizes an intense, almost oppressive level of darkness. It is strictly colloquial and carries a slightly informal or descriptive tone that makes it perfect for complaining about a lack of lighting. It is often used to describe places like unlit rooms, dark alleys, or even the sky at night.
Examples
The room is pitch black, turn on the light.
It is pitch black inside, can you see the path?
Related words
Common phrases
a pitch black area
Common mistake
Learners often try to use this to describe dark colors like black clothing or hair, but it specifically refers to the absence of light in a space rather than the color black itself.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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).
