mong4忙
Jyutpingmong4
Yalemòhng
Definition
To be busy; having a lot of things to do with no free time or rest.
Example
colloquialworkdaily actions
How it's used
Expressing busyness in Cantonese often involves adding a degree adverb like 好 or 咁 before 忙. It is frequently used with the particle 㗎 to soften the tone when explaining why you cannot attend an event or meet someone. Unlike in some other dialects, it is rarely used as a noun to mean 'busyness' itself.
Examples
I have been really busy lately and have no time to go out.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using 忙 as a verb to describe 'doing' something, as it strictly describes the state of being occupied. Learners often incorrectly try to say 忙緊做嘢, but it is more natural to say 忙住做嘢 or simply 忙緊.
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).
