tang4 oi3疼愛疼爱
Jyutpingtang4 oi3
Yaletàhng oi
Definition
To love dearly; to be deeply fond of someone or a pet smaller or younger than oneself.
colloquialpeoplefamily
How it's used
Focuses on a protective, affectionate love typically directed towards those younger, smaller, or more vulnerable than oneself. It implies a sense of nurturing care rather than romantic passion. While it can be used for pets, it is most frequently heard when describing the bond between elders and children.
Examples
You love your cat so much, it must be very happy.
Related words
Common phrases
to love someone even more
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe romantic love between partners, as it sounds patronizing or implies a parent-child dynamic. Use 愛 or 鍾意 instead for romantic contexts.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Adjective
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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).
