wai1葳

Jyutpingwai1

Yalewāi

Definition

Luxuriant vegetation; weary or weak.

luxuriant; lush
weary; weak; listless

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How it's used

This term is quite literary and rarely appears in everyday spoken Cantonese, often being replaced by more common adjectives like 茂盛 for growth or 攰 for fatigue. Its dual meaning of being both lush and exhausted is a unique linguistic feature that requires careful context to avoid confusion. You will mostly encounter it in written descriptions or poetic contexts rather than casual conversation.

Examples

nei1呢dou6度di1啲cou2草saang1生dak1得hou2好wai1葳aa4呀。

The grass here is growing very luxuriantly.

zou6做jyun4完jat1一jat6日je5嘢，zan1真hai6係hou2好wai1葳。

After working all day, I am really weary.

Related words

synonymmau6 sing6茂盛mauh singhsynonymgui6攰guih

Common phrases

cou2草muk6木

luxuriant vegetation

Common mistake

Learners often confuse this with 攰, which is the standard colloquial word for tired. Using 葳 to mean tired in a casual setting will likely sound unnatural or overly dramatic to native speakers.