saan4 joek6孱弱
Jyutpingsaan4 joek6
Yalesàahn yeuhk
Definition
Weak, frail, and sickly; having a poor or delicate constitution.
colloquialhealthdescriptions
How it's used
Describes a person who appears physically frail or lacks stamina, often implying a chronic state rather than a temporary illness. While it can be used to describe someone who is sickly, it is also frequently used in a slightly mocking or blunt way to suggest someone is not tough enough for a physical task.
Examples
He is very weak and has to take leave all the time.
You are so weak, how can you move these heavy things?
Related words
Common phrases
physically frail
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe inanimate objects or abstract concepts, as it specifically refers to human physical constitution. It is also more formal than the common colloquial term 孱仔, which is a noun used to label someone as a weakling.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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).
