maa5 soeng6馬上马上
Jyutpingmaa5 soeng6
Yalemáh seuhng
Definition
Immediately; at once; right away.
colloquialtime
How it's used
Native speakers almost exclusively use 即刻 in spoken Cantonese rather than 馬上. Using 馬上 often sounds like a direct translation from Mandarin or a more formal written style. If you want to sound natural in daily life, stick to 即刻.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use 馬上 because they see it in textbooks, but it sounds stiff or unnatural in casual conversation. Always prefer 即刻 when speaking.
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.
