man5吻
Jyutpingman5
Yalemáhn
Definition
A kiss; an act of lightly touching someone with the lips to show affection.
neutralemotionpeople
How it's used
While 吻 is understood in Cantonese, it is primarily a literary or formal term used in writing or formal speech. In daily life, Hong Kongers almost exclusively use 錫 to describe the act of kissing. Using 吻 in casual conversation can sound overly dramatic, poetic, or like a direct translation from written Chinese.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
They shared a deep kiss on the street.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using 吻 as a verb in spoken Cantonese, as it sounds unnatural and stiff. Always prefer 錫 when talking about kissing someone in a romantic or affectionate context.
Grammar color guide
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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.
