jat1 ngaan5一眼
Jyutpingjat1 ngaan5
Yaleyāt ngáahn
Definition
At a glance; briefly looking once.
colloquialdaily actionsdescriptions
How it's used
Focuses on the speed and intuition of visual perception, often implying that the conclusion was reached without deep analysis. It frequently pairs with verbs like 睇得出 or 認出 to emphasize immediate recognition. Using it suggests that the subject has a sharp eye or is very familiar with the object being observed.
Examples
He recognized me at a glance.
Can you tell who is who at a glance?
Common phrases
see through something at a glance
recognize at a glance
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the literal meaning of one eye. It is an adverbial phrase describing the action of looking, not a noun referring to a body part.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
