ho1 him3呵欠
Jyutpingho1 him3
Yalehō him
Definition
Yawn; the involuntary opening of the mouth with a deep inhalation when tired or lacking oxygen.
neutralbodydaily actions
How it's used
While 呵欠 is the standard written term, it is rarely used in spoken Cantonese. Most speakers prefer the colloquial verb phrase 打喊路 when describing the action. Using 呵欠 in casual conversation can sound slightly formal or literary.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
His speech was so boring that I couldn't help but yawn.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse the pronunciation of 喊 in 打喊路 with the verb 喊 meaning to cry. In the context of yawning, it is a specific colloquial compound and should not be interpreted as crying.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
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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).
