ngaan5 fan3眼瞓
Jyutpingngaan5 fan3
Yalengáahn fan
Definition
Sleepy; drowsy; tired and wanting to sleep.
colloquialbodydaily actions
How it's used
Focuses specifically on the physical sensation of needing to close one's eyes due to fatigue. It is the standard way to express sleepiness in daily life, whereas the formal term 睏倦 is rarely heard in spoken Cantonese. It is often paired with the particle 啲 to soften the intensity, as in 有啲眼瞓.
Examples
I'm so sleepy after work, I want to go home and sleep right away.
Are you sleepy? Why don't you take a rest first?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 攰, which refers to general physical exhaustion or being tired from activity. One can be 攰 without being 眼瞓, and vice versa.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
