man5泯
Jyutpingman5
Yalemáhn
Definition
To wipe out, eliminate, or cause to vanish completely.
writtendescriptions
How it's used
Literary and formal in nature, this character is rarely encountered in casual spoken Cantonese. It is almost exclusively used in compound words like 泯滅 or 泯除 to describe the total disappearance or erasure of abstract concepts such as memories, traces, or feelings. Using it in everyday conversation will sound overly dramatic or archaic.
Examples
His memories have already vanished.
These old habits should be eliminated.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 抿, which refers to pressing lips together or sipping. They are visually similar but share no semantic connection.
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.
