jap1揖
Jyutpingjap1
Yaleyāp
Definition
Numerous; abundant.
colloquialnumbersdescriptions
How it's used
This term functions as a quantifier indicating a large, often hyperbolic, amount. It is almost exclusively used in the structure 揖咁多 to emphasize the sheer scale or excess of something. It carries a slightly informal, conversational tone that highlights the speaker's surprise or judgment regarding the quantity.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the formal literary character 揖 meaning to bow, as the spoken quantifier is often written with this character due to phonetic similarity or regional preference. Learners should focus on the spoken structure 揖咁多 rather than using it as a standalone adjective.
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.
