pei4 leoi6疲累
Jyutpingpei4 leoi6
Yalepèih leuih
Definition
Tired; physically or mentally exhausted.
neutralhealthdescriptions
How it's used
While 疲累 is understood by all Cantonese speakers, it carries a slightly more formal or written tone compared to the ubiquitous 攰. You will often see it in news reports, formal emails, or written descriptions of physical state. In casual, face to face conversation, 攰 is almost exclusively used to express this feeling.
Examples
I've been working all day, I'm really exhausted.
Are you feeling very tired?
Related words
Common phrases
physically and mentally exhausted
extremely tired
Common mistake
Do not use 疲累 in casual settings where you would normally say 攰, as it can sound overly stiff or like you are reading from a book. It is perfectly acceptable in writing, but using it in spoken Cantonese might make you sound like a news anchor.
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.
