han2齦龈
Jyutpinghan2
Yalehán
Definition
To gnaw, bite, or nibble at something hard.
colloquialdaily actionsanimals
How it's used
This verb specifically describes the repetitive, grinding action of teeth against a hard or resistant object. It is rarely used for standard eating, as it implies a focus on the mechanical process of wearing something down rather than consumption. It is most frequently associated with animals or children chewing on non-food items.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 咬, which is the general term for biting. 咬 is a momentary action, whereas 齦 implies a continuous, grinding motion.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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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).
