wai4 sam6 mo1為甚麼为什么
Jyutpingwai4 sam6 mo1
Yalewàih sahm mō
Definition
Why; asking about the cause or reason of something.
colloquialcommunication
How it's used
While 為甚麼 is technically correct in written Chinese, it is almost never used in spoken Cantonese. Native speakers use 點解 in virtually every context, whether formal or casual. Using 為甚麼 in conversation sounds like reading from a textbook or speaking with a heavy Mandarin accent.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use 為甚麼 because they see it in dictionaries, but it sounds unnatural and stiff in speech. Stick to 點解 to sound like a local.
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.
