lim5臉脸
Jyutpinglim5
Yalelíhm
Definition
Face; the front part of the head.
colloquialbody
How it's used
While 臉 is understood in written contexts, Cantonese speakers almost exclusively use 面 in daily speech. Using 臉 in conversation can sound overly formal or even like a direct translation from Mandarin. Note that 面 is also used to refer to the surface of objects, not just the human face.
Measure word
faai3塊faiRelated words
Common mistake
Learners often use the classifier 個 for face, but the specific measure word for a face is 塊. Using 個 will sound unnatural to native speakers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
