nam2 faan1諗返谂返
Jyutpingnam2 faan1
Yalenám fāan
Definition
To recall, remember, or think back to a past event.
colloquialdaily actionspeople
How it's used
Focuses on the act of bringing a past memory back into the present mind. It is often used when something triggers a sudden recollection of a past event or feeling. You will frequently hear it paired with the particle 起 to emphasize the moment the memory surfaces.
Examples
Have you recalled it yet?
I recall that it was very happy back then.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 諗返 with 諗起. While 諗起 simply means to remember or think of something, 諗返 specifically implies looking back at the past or reconsidering a previous thought or situation.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
