mou4 liu4無聊无聊
Jyutpingmou4 liu4
Yalemòuh lìuh
Definition
(noun) nonsense
colloquialdescriptionsemotion
How it's used
Beyond meaning trivial or meaningless, this word is frequently used to describe a state of boredom or a person who is tedious to be around. It captures a sense of frustration when someone is wasting time on activities that lack substance or value. When applied to a person, it implies they are dull or uninteresting.
Examples
le1 tou3 hei3 hou2 mou4 liu4 jyun4 cyun4 m4 zi1 gong2 me1
呢套戲好無聊，完全唔知講咩。
This movie is so pointless, I have no idea what it's about.
nei5 zou6 maai4 saai3 di1 mou4 liu4 je5 m4 hou2 zoi3 saai1 si4 gaan3 laa3
你做埋晒啲無聊嘢，唔好再嘥時間喇。
Stop wasting time doing all these trivial things.
Related words
Common phrases
mou4 liu4 je5
無聊嘢
pointless stuff
hou2 mou4 liu4
好無聊
very boring
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with the feeling of being bored, but it is also used to describe the object or activity causing that boredom. Ensure you distinguish between feeling bored and something being inherently pointless.
Tone guide
T1High level
T2High rising
T3Mid level
T4Low falling
T5Low rising
T6Low level
Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- 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.
