on3摁
Jyutpingon3
Yaleon
Definition
To press down with a finger.
colloquialdaily actions
How it's used
While 摁 is used in written contexts to mean pressing with a finger, it is rarely used in everyday spoken Cantonese. Most speakers prefer to use 按 or simply 撳 when describing the physical action of pressing a button or a surface. Using 摁 in casual conversation can sound slightly formal or regional.
Examples
He is pressing on the wound to stop the bleeding.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 摁 with 撳, but 撳 is the standard colloquial term for operating buttons or touchscreens in Hong Kong. Using 摁 might be understood but will sound unnatural to native speakers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
