jit3噎
Jyutpingjit3
Yaleyit
Definition
To choke or gag on food; to render someone speechless by retort.
- to choke, gag, or stifle on food or drink
- to render someone speechless with a sharp or blunt retort
colloquialbodyhealth
How it's used
Used primarily for choking on food or drink, it is almost always paired with 親 to form the verb 噎親. Beyond the physical act, it is frequently used metaphorically to describe being rendered speechless by a sharp or unexpected remark. When used in this figurative sense, it carries a nuance of being caught off guard or silenced by someone else's bluntness.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 哽, which is also commonly used for choking. While 噎親 is very standard, many speakers prefer 哽親 in casual conversation when referring to food getting stuck in the throat.
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.
