wan1瘟
Jyutpingwan1
Yalewān
Definition
An acute infectious disease, pestilence, or pandemic.
colloquialhealthemotion
How it's used
While originally referring to infectious diseases, this term is now frequently used metaphorically to describe someone acting erratically, irrationally, or in a state of agitation. It carries a strong, slightly derogatory tone when applied to people, implying that their behavior is as unwelcome as a sickness. It is rarely used in a clinical sense in modern daily speech.
Examples
The weather is so bad lately, it is easy to get sick.
Related words
Common phrases
to act crazy or behave erratically
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a common cold or minor illness, as it carries a much more severe and negative connotation. It is almost exclusively used in the phrase 發瘟 when describing someone's strange or angry behavior.
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.
