saan1 mun4閂門闩门
Jyutpingsaan1 mun4
Yalesāan mùhn
Definition
To close a door, or to close a business.
- to close a door
- figurativeto close; to shut down or suspend business operations
colloquialdaily actionshome
How it's used
Beyond the literal act of shutting a door, this term is frequently used to describe a business closing for the day or shutting down operations entirely. It carries a sense of finality or transition, often implying that access is no longer permitted. In casual speech, it is the standard way to refer to closing any entrance, whether it is a room door, a shop gate, or a window.
Examples
Remember to close the door when you leave.
Why did you close the door without saying anything?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 關門, which is more common in written Chinese or formal contexts. While 關門 is understood in Hong Kong, 閂門 is the natural, everyday choice for spoken Cantonese.
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.
