pin1 pin1 hei2 mou5翩翩起舞
Jyutpingpin1 pin1 hei2 mou5
Yalepīn pīn héi móuh
Definition
To dance gracefully and elegantly.
writtendescriptionsdaily actions
How it's used
This is a literary idiom that describes elegant and light movement, often used to depict dancers or even insects like butterflies. Because of its poetic nature, it sounds quite formal or descriptive compared to everyday verbs like 跳舞. You will frequently encounter it in written prose, song lyrics, or when someone wants to emphasize the beauty of a performance.
Examples
She is dancing gracefully on stage, it is so captivating.
I see butterflies dancing gracefully among the flowers.
Related words
Common phrases
a butterfly dancing gracefully
to dance gracefully on stage
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe casual or energetic dancing, such as at a club or a party, as it specifically implies a refined and artistic grace. Using it for a clumsy or high-energy dance would sound sarcastic or out of place.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
