jam4淫
Definition
Lascivious, lewd, or obscene; also used literary to mean excessive or overindulgent.
- lascivious; lewd; obscene; horny
- literaryexcessive; too much; in excess
How it's used
Beyond the literal meaning of lecherous or obscene, this character is frequently used in the compound 淫賤 to describe someone who is both depraved and despicable. It carries a strong negative moral judgment and is often used to criticize behavior that is considered socially inappropriate or sexually predatory. While it can appear in formal contexts to mean excessive or illicit, in daily speech it is almost exclusively reserved for sexual impropriety.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 鹹濕, which is the most common colloquial way to describe someone who is horny or lecherous. Using 淫 in casual conversation can sound much harsher and more offensive than 鹹濕, as it carries a heavier connotation of moral corruption.
Grammar color guide
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).
