hip3嗋
Jyutpinghip3
Yalehip
Definition
To breathe.
colloquialbodyhealth
How it's used
This character is specifically reserved for the physical act of drawing breath or gasping. It is almost exclusively used in the context of respiratory distress or catching one's breath after intense exertion. In casual conversation, people often use the more common verb 呼吸 instead, making this term feel slightly more descriptive or dramatic.
Examples
He cannot breathe, help him quickly.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with the general term for breathing, 呼吸. While 呼吸 is a neutral, scientific term, 嗋 is focused on the actual effort or struggle involved in the process of inhaling.
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.
