waa1 jin4嘩然哗然
Jyutpingwaa1 jin4
Yalewā yìhn
Definition
To be astonished, shocked, or in uproar.
writtenemotionpeople
How it's used
Describes a collective reaction of shock or uproar rather than an individual feeling of surprise. It is almost exclusively used in formal contexts like news reports or when describing public opinion, making it sound quite dramatic in casual conversation.
Examples
After he said that, the whole room was in an uproar.
This news caused astonishment among all Hong Kong citizens.
Related words
Common phrases
the whole room in an uproar
to cause a public outcry
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe your own personal surprise, as it implies a large group of people reacting together. Use 嚇親 or 驚訝 instead for individual feelings.
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.
