ning4嚀咛
Jyutpingning4
Yalenìhng
Definition
To enjoin, urge repeatedly, or charge.
colloquialcommunicationpeople
How it's used
Often used in the reduplicated form 嚀嚀叮叮 to describe someone who is nagging or fussing over details. It carries a sense of care and concern, distinguishing it from the more negative or annoying connotation of 囉唆. While it can function as a standalone verb, it is frequently paired with 叮 to form the compound 叮嚀.
Examples
Mom gave me a few reminders before she left.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Mandarin usage where 叮嚀 is a standard noun or verb; in Cantonese, the single character 嚀 is often used as a shorthand in speech, but it sounds slightly more formal or literary than the common 提點 or 提醒.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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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.
