jam2 sing3飲勝饮胜
Jyutpingjam2 sing3
Yaleyám sing
Definition
Cheers; a toast used to celebrate, meaning to bottom up or drink everything in the glass.
colloquialdrink
How it's used
The character 勝 here carries the sense of finishing or exhausting the drink, functioning similarly to the Mandarin 乾 in 乾杯. It is preferred in Cantonese because 乾 can sound like 乾, which carries connotations of being dry or lacking substance. Using 飲勝 is a standard, polite way to initiate a toast in social or celebratory settings.
Examples
Come on, everyone raise your glasses, cheers!
We are celebrating a birthday tonight, we must have a toast.
Related words
Common phrases
raise glasses for a toast
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with just drinking quickly, as it is strictly a social ritual for toasting. It is not used to describe the act of drinking water or tea during a regular meal.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- 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.
