ham4 wu4含糊
Jyutpingham4 wu4
Yalehàhm wùh
Definition
Ambiguous, vague, or unclear; difficult to understand fully.
neutralcommunicationdescriptions
How it's used
Focus on the lack of clarity in communication or intent rather than just physical blurriness. It is frequently used when someone is intentionally avoiding a direct answer or when a set of instructions is poorly defined. Unlike formal written Chinese, in spoken Cantonese, it often carries a hint of frustration or suspicion regarding the speaker's motives.
Examples
He speaks very vaguely, I don't know what he wants.
Your plan is so vague, how are we supposed to execute it?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe physical objects that are out of focus or blurry, as that is better expressed using 模糊.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
