jat1 zan6一陣一阵
Jyutpingjat1 zan6
Yaleyāt jahn
Definition
A while; a short period of time, usually measured in minutes.
Example
colloquialtime
How it's used
Refers to a short, indefinite period of time that is usually subjective rather than a precise measurement. It is frequently used to soften requests by implying that the task will not take long, making the speaker sound less demanding. When used to mean "in a little while," it often appears at the beginning of a sentence to signal an upcoming action.
Examples
Wait for me a moment, I'll be down right away.
They chatted for a while and then left.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid confusing this with 陣間, which specifically means "later" or "in a short while." While 一陣 can also mean "later" in some contexts, 陣間 is the preferred choice when you want to explicitly state that an action will happen in the near future.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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).
