jin4 jyu6言喻
Jyutpingjin4 jyu6
Yaleyìhn yuh
Definition
To express or describe in words.
writtendescriptionscommunication
How it's used
Reserved for formal or literary contexts, this term is rarely used in casual daily speech. It functions primarily as a set phrase within the structure 難以言喻 to describe feelings or situations that are too complex or profound to be captured by language. Using it in a standard conversation will likely sound overly dramatic or pretentious.
Examples
That kind of happiness is truly beyond words.
Related words
Common phrases
indescribable
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this as a direct verb for describing things, but it is almost exclusively used with 難以 to form a set phrase. It is not a general-purpose verb for explaining or narrating.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
