ngaan5 gin3眼見眼见
Jyutpingngaan5 gin3
Yalengáahn gin
Definition
Seeing that; in view of a situation, usually followed by an unfavorable situation and one's reaction.
colloquialdescriptionsdaily actions
How it's used
Focuses on the immediate visual realization of a negative or urgent situation. It functions as a conjunction to introduce a premise that forces a reaction or highlights a sense of helplessness. It is most effective when describing a moment where the speaker is forced to acknowledge a reality they would rather avoid.
Examples
Seeing that the sky has turned completely dark, let's leave quickly.
Seeing that your friend is so unhappy, how can you just ignore them?
Related words
Common phrases
seeing that things are not going right
seeing it like this
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal verb phrase meaning to see with one's eyes. It is specifically a conjunction used to set the scene for a difficult or pressing circumstance, not a way to describe the act of looking at something.
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.
