mei5 jam1尾音
Jyutpingmei5 jam1
Yaleméih yām
Definition
The last sound in a syllable, or a sentence-final particle.
- the final sound or coda in a syllable
- a sentence-final particle
colloquialcommunication
How it's used
Refers specifically to the trailing sound of a syllable or the intonation at the end of a sentence. It is frequently used in discussions about accents or speech habits to describe how someone finishes their words. When used in a linguistic context, it often highlights the distinct pitch or length of sentence-final particles.
Examples
Your sentence-final particles are very heavy.
The way they speak, the end of their syllables is dragged out.
Related words
Common phrases
heavy sentence-final intonation
to drag out the final sound
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 語氣助詞, which refers specifically to the grammatical function of particles like 呀 or 㗎. 尾音 is a broader physical description of sound, whereas 語氣助詞 is a functional classification.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
