ngaai4 ngo6捱餓挨饿
Jyutpingngaai4 ngo6
Yalengàaih ngoh
Definition
To endure hunger; to go hungry.
colloquialhealthdaily actions
How it's used
Focuses on the physical act of suffering through a lack of food, often due to poverty, busy schedules, or intentional dieting. It carries a sense of hardship and endurance rather than just being hungry. Use it when describing someone who has no choice but to go without a meal or is sacrificing their health for a goal.
Examples
Why are you starving yourself? Go eat something quickly.
Related words
Common phrases
to scrape by and endure hunger
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with just being hungry, which is simply 肚餓. 捱餓 implies a prolonged state of deprivation or a conscious decision to skip meals, whereas 肚餓 is a temporary physical sensation.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
