hung1 taam4空談空谈
Jyutpinghung1 taam4
Yalehūng tàahm
Definition
Empty talk; to only talk and take no practical action.
colloquialcommunicationpeople
How it's used
Often used to criticize someone who makes grand promises without any intention or ability to follow through. It carries a strong sense of frustration or dismissal, implying that the person's words are worthless because they lack concrete action. It is frequently paired with the verb 淨係 to emphasize that the person does nothing but talk.
Examples
You only know how to talk empty words, when will you actually do something?
These plans are just empty talk, there is absolutely no execution power.
Related words
Common phrases
only indulge in empty talk
to end up as empty talk
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 吹水, which is a neutral or positive term for casual chatting or gossiping. 空談 specifically carries a negative connotation of failing to deliver on promises or lacking substance in a serious context.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
