naan4 ji5難以难以
Jyutpingnaan4 ji5
Yalenàahn yíh
Definition
Hard to; difficult to.
writtendescriptions
How it's used
Functions as a formal, written-style modifier that often appears in news reports, official announcements, or serious discussions. While it means hard to, it carries a sense of gravity or objective impossibility that makes it sound unnatural in casual, everyday speech. Native speakers usually prefer using 好難 or 唔容易 when talking to friends or family.
Examples
This matter is really hard to accept.
Do you think this decision is hard to execute?
Common mistake
Learners often overuse this in casual conversation, making their speech sound stiff or overly dramatic. It is not a direct replacement for 好難 in all contexts, as it implies a higher level of complexity or a formal barrier rather than just a simple personal struggle.
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).
