jyu6 ngaam1遇啱
Jyutpingjyu6 ngaam1
Yaleyuh ngāam
Definition
To happen to coincide, run into, or meet by chance, leading to another event.
colloquialdaily actionspeople
How it's used
Focuses on the element of coincidence or timing, implying that two events or people crossed paths unexpectedly. It is frequently used to explain why a certain action or encounter took place, often serving as a bridge between two events in a narrative. Unlike simply meeting someone, it carries the nuance that the timing was fortuitous or just right.
Examples
I went downstairs to shop and happened to run into an old classmate.
Related words
Common phrases
to happen to meet at the right time
to happen to run into someone
Common mistake
Learners often confuse it with 撞到, which simply means to bump into or encounter someone. 遇啱 specifically emphasizes the timing or the coincidence of the situation, whereas 撞到 focuses on the physical act of meeting.
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.
