maau6貌
Jyutpingmaau6
Yalemaauh
Definition
The appearance of a person, place, or thing.
neutralpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Unlike the standalone word 樣, which is the default way to talk about appearance, 貌 is a bound morpheme that almost exclusively appears in compound words. It carries a slightly more formal or descriptive weight, often used when discussing the overall impression or the state of something. You will frequently encounter it in set phrases describing facial features or the general vibe of a city or landscape.
Examples
His appearance is very decent.
The appearance of this place has changed a lot.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use 貌 as a standalone noun to describe someone's face, as it will sound unnatural or overly literary. Always use 樣 or 樣貌 instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
