maan4蠻蛮
Jyutpingmaan4
Yalemàahn
Definition
Quite; fairly; to a moderate or relatively high degree.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
Although 蠻 is frequently heard in Hong Kong, it is a loan from Mandarin that has been integrated into colloquial speech. It functions similarly to 幾 but often carries a slightly more emphatic or subjective tone. It is especially common among younger speakers who want to add a bit of variety to their descriptions.
Examples
The food at this restaurant is actually quite good.
You're quite free today, why don't we go for dim sum together?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using 蠻 in formal writing or professional settings, as it is strictly a colloquialism. Stick to 幾 or 相當 when you need to be more precise or formal.
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.
