san1 laan5 jiu1伸懶腰伸懒腰
Jyutpingsan1 laan5 jiu1
Yalesān láahn yīu
Definition
To stretch oneself, especially upon waking or when tired.
colloquialbodydaily actions
How it's used
Stretching is often paired with yawning, which is referred to as 打喊路. It is a natural physical reaction to fatigue or boredom, and doing it in public is generally considered acceptable but informal. The phrase specifically highlights the act of stretching the back and shoulders to relieve tension.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse the verb 伸 with 申, which is used for submitting applications or explaining. Ensure you use the radical for hand, 扌, as it involves physical movement.
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).



