sok3 hei3嗍氣嗍气
Jyutpingsok3 hei3
Yalesok hei
Definition
Gasping for breath, or describing an activity that is physically strenuous.
- to gasp for breath; to pant
- physically exhausting; strenuous; breathless
colloquialbodyhealth
How it's used
Focuses specifically on the physical sensation of breathlessness or the exhausting nature of a task. It is frequently paired with the particle 晒 to emphasize the total depletion of energy or air. While it describes the state of being out of breath, it also functions as a descriptive adjective for any activity that drains one's stamina.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Mandarin term 喘氣. While they share a similar meaning, 嗍氣 is distinctly Cantonese and carries a more colloquial, visceral tone when describing physical exhaustion.
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.
