lou5 maai6老邁老迈
Jyutpinglou5 maai6
Yalelóuh maaih
Definition
Old and weak.
neutralpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Focuses specifically on the combination of advanced age and physical frailty. Unlike the neutral word 老, this term carries a sense of pity or respect for someone whose health has declined due to their years. It is almost exclusively used to describe elderly people rather than objects or abstract concepts.
Examples
He is aged and frail, so even walking is difficult for him.
Seeing him so aged and frail really makes me feel a bit sad.
Related words
Common phrases
advanced in age and frail
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe someone who is simply old but still active and healthy, as it implies a state of physical decline or weakness. It can sound patronizing or overly dramatic if applied to someone who is just elderly but energetic.
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.
