taan4 zi2 zi1 gaan1彈指之間弹指之间
Jyutpingtaan4 zi2 zi1 gaan1
Yaletàahn jí jī gāan
Definition
In a flash; in the blink of an eye; an extremely short period of time.
neutraltime
How it's used
This idiom carries a slightly literary or dramatic flair, often used to emphasize how quickly time slips away or how rapidly situations shift. It is more evocative than simply saying 好快, making it a common choice in reflective speech or storytelling. While it describes a duration, it functions more like an adverbial phrase of time rather than a noun.
Examples
The world is unpredictable; things often change completely in an instant.
The time you thought was so long actually passed in the blink of an eye.
Related words
Common phrases
completed in an instant
vanished in the blink of an eye
Common mistake
Learners sometimes mistakenly use this to describe physical speed, such as running fast, but it is strictly reserved for the passage of time or the suddenness of an event.
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.
