tin1 naam4 dei6 bak1天南地北
Jyutpingtin1 naam4 dei6 bak1
Yaletīn nàahm deih bāk
Definition
Very far apart; many different and distant places.
colloquialcommunicationdescriptions
How it's used
Beyond just describing physical distance, this phrase is frequently used to describe the act of chatting about a wide variety of topics. It carries a sense of casual, rambling conversation that jumps from one subject to another without a specific agenda. It is a very common way to describe catching up with an old friend.
Examples
The two of them live worlds apart.
Related words
Common phrases
to chat about everything under the sun
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal geographical term, but it is almost always used figuratively to describe the breadth of a conversation or the vastness of a distance. It is not used to describe specific locations on a map.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
