niu1嫋
Jyutpingniu1
Yalenīu
Definition
Slender, slim, or thin and long.
colloquialdescriptionspeople
How it's used
Used primarily to describe a graceful, willow-like slenderness, often implying a sense of fragility or elegance. It is rarely used in a clinical or purely physical sense, leaning more towards an aesthetic appreciation of someone's build. You will mostly hear it applied to women or young girls in casual conversation.
Examples
She has a slender figure, she must look great dancing.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 瘦, which is a neutral term for thin. 嫋 carries a specific nuance of elegance or delicate beauty that 瘦 lacks.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
