ham1 jyu4堪輿堪舆
Jyutpingham1 jyu4
Yalehām yùh
Definition
Geomancy or feng shui; the traditional practice of analyzing geographic features to guide building design.
neutralother
How it's used
Refers specifically to the academic or professional study of geomancy, often carrying a more formal or traditional tone than the everyday term 風水. While 風水 is used by the general public to discuss luck and interior layout, 堪輿 is frequently encountered in professional titles or formal discussions regarding the practice. It implies a deeper connection to historical texts and systematic observation of the environment.
Examples
He even hired a feng shui master to check his home renovation.
Do you believe that feng shui can change one's fortune?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake 堪輿 for a verb, but it functions strictly as a noun referring to the field of study. You should use it in phrases like 堪輿學 or 堪輿師傅 rather than trying to use it to describe the act of checking a site.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
