teng1 m4 ming4聽唔明听唔明
Jyutpingteng1 m4 ming4
Yaletēng m̀h mìhng
Definition
To not understand what one hears; to fail to understand spoken language.
colloquialcommunication
How it's used
This phrase is the standard way to express a failure to comprehend spoken language. It functions as a verb phrase where the middle character 唔 acts as the negative infix. It is strictly used for auditory input, so do not use it for reading text or understanding abstract concepts.
Examples
You are speaking too fast, I cannot understand.
Common phrases
cannot understand at all
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 睇唔明, which is used specifically for reading text. Using 聽唔明 to describe a book or a sign will sound unnatural to native speakers.
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.
