jung2 pou5擁抱拥抱
Jyutpingjung2 pou5
Yaleyúng póuh
Definition
To embrace or hug.
neutralpeopledaily actions
How it's used
While 擁抱 is widely understood, it carries a slightly formal or literary tone compared to the more common colloquial term 攬. In everyday casual conversation, especially when talking about friends or family, native speakers almost exclusively use 攬 instead of 擁抱. Use 擁抱 when describing the action in a more descriptive, romantic, or formal context.
Examples
They haven't seen each other for a long time, so they hugged as soon as they met.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use 擁抱 in casual settings where it sounds overly dramatic or stiff. If you are talking about hugging a friend or a child, stick to 攬 to sound natural.
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.
