tim4 je4 je4甜椰椰
Jyutpingtim4 je4 je4
Yaletìhm yèh yèh
Definition
Too sweet; unpleasantly sweet.
colloquialfooddescriptions
How it's used
This reduplicated adjective emphasizes an excessive, almost sickly level of sweetness that is off-putting. It is specifically used for food or drinks that have gone beyond the point of being enjoyable. The repetition of the syllable creates a vivid, sensory impression of the sugar coating the palate.
Examples
This milk tea is cloyingly sweet, I feel unwell after drinking it.
Is the sweet soup you made cloyingly sweet?
Related words
Common phrases
cloyingly sweet dessert soup
overly sweet cake
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a pleasant sweetness, as it carries a negative connotation of being cloying or overwhelming. For a positive description of something sweet, use 甜甜地 instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- TonesCantonese has six tones, and the tones can change in certain grammatical contexts. Learn the six tones and the rules for tone change.
- Time and datesClock time, days of the week, months, and years. The patterns you need to make plans and talk about when things happen.
- Modal verbsHow to say can, will, may, should, must, and want. The core modal verbs of Cantonese and the differences that trip up beginners.
