ham1 ho1坎坷
Jyutpingham1 ho1
Yalehām hō
Definition
Rough, bumpy, or full of frustration and difficulties.
neutraldescriptionsemotion
How it's used
Describes a life or a career path that is plagued by persistent misfortune and setbacks rather than just a single bad day. It carries a heavy, literary weight and is often used in more serious or reflective contexts when discussing someone's life journey. While it can describe a physical road, it is overwhelmingly used metaphorically to talk about personal struggles.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe minor inconveniences or simple bad luck, as it implies a long-term, deep-seated struggle. It is not a casual word for being busy or tired.
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.
