waa1 laa1嘩啦哗啦
Jyutpingwaa1 laa1
Yalewā lā
Definition
To collapse or crash down.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
Functions primarily as an onomatopoeic adverb or verb modifier to describe the sudden, noisy sound of something falling apart or collapsing. It is rarely used as a standalone verb for collapse, but rather paired with a verb like 冧 to provide vivid sensory detail. The sound evokes a sense of suddenness and structural failure.
Examples
The house is too old, it could collapse with a crash at any moment.
Related words
Common phrases
with a crash
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a gradual or quiet decline, as it specifically captures the loud, abrupt noise of a physical structure giving way.
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.
