jim6 ngaan5驗眼验眼
Jyutpingjim6 ngaan5
Yaleyihm ngáahn
Definition
To have one's eyes checked or examined.
colloquialhealthdaily actions
How it's used
This term is specifically used for professional eye examinations, such as those performed by an optometrist or ophthalmologist for glasses or contact lenses. It is rarely used for casual observation or looking at something closely, for which you would use 睇下 instead. It carries a practical, health-oriented tone rather than a medical diagnostic one.
Examples
Have you been seeing things unclearly lately? Do you need to get your eyes checked?
I took time off this afternoon to get my eyes checked, so I won't be coming back to the office.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 睇眼, which is a broader term that can mean visiting a doctor for an eye infection or injury. Use 驗眼 when you are going for a vision test or prescription update, and 睇眼 when you have a medical issue with your eyes.
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.
