jan1恩
Jyutpingjan1
Yaleyān
Definition
Kindness, favor, or help shown to someone.
neutralpeopleemotion
How it's used
Carries a sense of moral weight or indebtedness that goes beyond a simple favour. It is typically reserved for life changing assistance or significant support that creates a long term bond between people. Using this word implies that the recipient feels a deep, almost heavy responsibility to return the kindness.
Examples
He has done me a favour, I must repay him no matter what.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this for trivial acts like holding a door or sharing a snack, as it sounds overly dramatic and out of place. It is reserved for serious situations where someone has genuinely saved or significantly improved another person's life.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
