hing3 kat1謦欬
Jyutpinghing3 kat1
Yalehing kāt
Definition
To chat, talk, or laugh together; historically, to cough.
- literaryto chat, talk, and laugh together
- archaicto cough
writtenbodycommunication
How it's used
This term is highly literary and rarely appears in everyday spoken Cantonese. While it can mean to cough, it is more commonly used in formal or written contexts to describe a friendly, intimate conversation between people. Using it in casual conversation will likely confuse listeners as it sounds like an archaic or poetic expression.
Examples
He coughed a few times inside the room.
The two of them are chatting and laughing, looking very happy.
Related words
Common phrases
the sound of talking and laughing
Common mistake
Do not use this word in daily life to describe a common cough, as people will assume you are reciting classical literature. For coughing, use 咳 instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
