wan1氳氲
Jyutpingwan1
Yalewān
Definition
Warm, heavy, or misty atmosphere; the spirit of harmony and life-generating force.
writtennaturedescriptions
How it's used
The character 氳 is almost exclusively used in the compound 氤氳 to describe dense mist or a pervasive atmosphere. It is a literary term that rarely appears in daily spoken Cantonese, where speakers prefer 霧氣 for mist or 氣氛 for general atmosphere. Using it in casual conversation can sound overly poetic or archaic.
Related words
Common phrases
dense mist or pervasive atmosphere
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this character for a common verb or noun, but it is a bound morpheme that requires a partner character to function in modern language. Do not attempt to use it as a standalone word in a sentence.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
