ngan4嚚
Jyutpingngan4
Yalengàhn
Definition
Insincere, argumentative, or left speechless.
- literaryinsincere; deceitful
- literaryargumentative; quarrelsome
- speechless; dumbfounded
writtendescriptionscommunication
How it's used
This character is extremely rare in modern spoken Cantonese and is almost exclusively found in formal, written, or literary contexts. It carries a strong negative connotation, describing speech that is not only insincere but also deliberately obstructive or argumentative. Most native speakers would not use this in daily conversation, preferring more common terms like 狡辯 or 虛偽.
Examples
He talks so insincerely, I really don't want to listen.
How should we respond to such argumentative talk?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 囂, which means arrogant or boisterous. While both can describe unpleasant behavior, 嚚 specifically targets the quality of the speech itself rather than the speaker's attitude.
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.
