naan4 hon3難看难看
Jyutpingnaan4 hon3
Yalenàahn hon
Definition
Ugly, unsightly, or displeasing to look at.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
While 難看 is understood in Cantonese, it is often perceived as a slightly more formal or written-style term compared to the ubiquitous colloquial term 樣衰. Native speakers frequently prefer 樣衰 when describing people or objects that look bad or unattractive in a casual setting. Using 難看 can sometimes sound like a direct translation from Mandarin or a more descriptive, objective critique of aesthetics.
Examples
Do you think this design is unsightly?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use 難看 to describe a person's face or appearance, but this can sound overly critical or formal; 樣衰 is the much more natural choice for describing someone's looks or a bad situation.
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.
