taan2忐
Jyutpingtaan2
Yaletáan
Definition
Nervous, apprehensive, or uneasy.
neutralemotion
How it's used
Usually paired with 忑 to form the disyllabic adjective 忐忑, which describes a state of inner agitation or anxiety. It specifically captures the feeling of a heart beating unevenly or a mind unable to settle due to uncertainty. While it can be used in formal writing, it is also perfectly natural in spoken Cantonese to describe a gut feeling of unease.
Examples
I feel very nervous thinking about my job interview tomorrow.
Related words
Common phrases
feeling uneasy and apprehensive
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a verb, but it is strictly an adjective describing a mental state. You cannot say 忐忑咗我, as it does not take an object.
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.
