ngaam4岩
Jyutpingngaam4
Yalengàahm
Definition
Rock; any of various kinds of stone, or related geographical formations.
neutralnature
How it's used
While this character is used in scientific contexts to refer to geological formations, it is rarely used in isolation in daily speech. Most speakers prefer the compound 岩石 when referring to rocks in general. It often appears in formal or academic descriptions of landscapes rather than casual conversation.
Measure word
gau6嚿gauhExamples
The rocks here are very large.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the common colloquial adjective 岩 which means correct or right. The geological term is strictly a noun and does not share the grammatical function of the adjective.
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.
