taam1 waan4貪玩贪玩
Jyutpingtaam1 waan4
Yaletāam wàahn
Definition
Playful; fond of playing; keen on having fun.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Describes someone who prioritizes leisure or entertainment over responsibilities or serious tasks. It often carries a slightly critical or teasing tone when applied to adults, implying they are not focused enough on their duties. When used for children, it is usually a neutral observation of their natural behavior.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe someone who is simply 'fun' or 'entertaining' to be around, as that would be 玩得. 貪玩 specifically highlights the tendency to neglect work or study in favor of play.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
