jan2讔
Jyutpingjan2
Yaleyán
Definition
A riddle or mystery.
colloquialdescriptionscommunication
How it's used
Used primarily to describe something that is intentionally obscure, cryptic, or difficult to decipher. It carries a sense of hidden meaning or a puzzle that requires effort to solve, rather than just being naturally complex. While it can refer to a literal riddle, it is frequently applied to people's behavior or speech that feels deliberately evasive.
Examples
This riddle is very mysterious, can you guess it?
He speaks in such an obscure way, I have no idea what he wants to express.
Related words
Common phrases
to speak in a cryptic manner
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 謎, which refers to the riddle itself as a noun. 讔 functions more as an adjective describing the quality of being cryptic or mysterious.
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.
