laam4 leoi5襤褸褴褛
Jyutpinglaam4 leoi5
Yalelàahm léuih
Definition
Shabby, ragged, and tattered, describing worn-out clothes or someone dressed in them.
writtenclothingdescriptions
How it's used
Literary in origin, this term is almost exclusively used in the set phrase 衣衫襤褸 to describe someone's appearance. Using it outside of this specific collocation can sound overly dramatic or archaic in casual conversation. It carries a strong sense of poverty or neglect that goes beyond just having old clothes.
Examples
He is dressed in such rags, it looks like he hasn't changed clothes in a long time.
Why are you dressed in such tattered clothes?
Related words
Common phrases
tattered clothes
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a general word for old or dirty clothes, but it specifically implies torn or tattered fabric. It is not used to describe things like furniture or buildings, only clothing.
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.
