pung3 gin3碰見碰见
Jyutpingpung3 gin3
Yalepung gin
Definition
To meet someone unexpectedly; to bump into an acquaintance.
colloquialpeopledaily actions
How it's used
While 碰見 is perfectly understandable, native speakers overwhelmingly prefer using 撞到 to describe an accidental encounter. Using 撞到 feels more natural and fits the casual rhythm of spoken Cantonese better than the slightly more formal-sounding 碰見.
Examples
I bumped into an old classmate at the MTR station just now.
Did you bump into him when you went out today?
Related words
Common phrases
bump into someone on the street
Common mistake
Learners often use 碰見 in contexts where they planned to meet someone, but it strictly implies an accidental or unplanned encounter. If you arranged to meet, use 見面 or 約咗 instead.
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.
