naan4 ming4難明难明
Jyutpingnaan4 ming4
Yalenàahn mìhng
Definition
Difficult to understand.
colloquialdescriptionscommunication
How it's used
Focuses on the cognitive difficulty of processing information or intent rather than the physical complexity of an object. It often carries a slightly critical tone when used to describe someone's speech or writing, implying that the person failed to communicate effectively. While grammatically similar to other adjectives, it is frequently used with the degree adverb 好 to emphasize the level of confusion.
Examples
This article is written in a way that is very hard to understand.
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe a person's personality or behavior, as it sounds unnatural; use 難捉摸 instead if someone's actions are unpredictable or hard to read.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
