jap1湆
Jyutpingjap1
Yaleyāp
Definition
Sticky, damp, or slow.
- sticky; damp; greasy
- slow; sluggish
colloquialweatherdescriptions
How it's used
Describes a physical sensation of humidity where sweat feels trapped on the skin, often used to complain about the weather before a storm. Beyond the physical, it serves as a colorful metaphor for people who are sluggish, indecisive, or inefficient in their work. It carries a slightly negative connotation of being stuck or dragging things out.
Examples
The air here feels very sticky and humid.
He works so slowly, it is really impossible to deal with.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 黐，which specifically refers to things being adhesive or stuck together. 湆 is primarily about the oppressive feeling of humidity or a lack of momentum in action.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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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).
