sam6 zi3 fu4甚至乎
Jyutpingsam6 zi3 fu4
Yalesahm ji fùh
Definition
Even; so far as to.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
Adding the particle 乎 creates a more emphatic, slightly more literary or dramatic tone compared to the standard 甚至. It is frequently used in storytelling or when describing extreme, surprising scenarios to emphasize the extent of a situation. While it functions as a conjunction, it often carries a sense of building up to a climax in a list of negative or unexpected events.
Examples
He won't even eat, and he won't even drink water.
It is so cold here, it is even snowing.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often treat this as a direct equivalent to the English word even, but it must be used to connect two clauses or emphasize a progressive extreme. Using it to replace simple adverbs like 仲 or 更加 will sound unnatural and overly formal in casual speech.
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.
