lou5 nget6 nget6老齧齧
Jyutpinglou5 nget6 nget6
Yalelóuh ngeht ngeht
Definition
Very old; decrepit; elderly.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This reduplicated adjective carries a strong sense of pity or sympathy when describing the elderly. It emphasizes the physical decline associated with advanced age, often highlighting a sense of fragility or helplessness. It is rarely used to describe someone who is simply old but still active and healthy.
Examples
His grandfather is very old and frail now, he is unsteady when walking.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe inanimate objects or abstract concepts, as it is strictly reserved for human beings. Using it for a person who is still energetic can sound quite rude or overly dramatic.
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.
