wan4 san1渾身浑身
Jyutpingwan4 san1
Yalewàhn sān
Definition
All over the body; the whole body.
neutralbodydescriptions
How it's used
While 渾身 is understood in Cantonese, it is often considered a more formal or literary term compared to the ubiquitous 周身. You will hear 周身 used in almost all daily contexts, such as describing pain or being busy. Using 渾身 can sometimes sound slightly dramatic or like you are reading from a book.
Examples
Are you feeling unwell all over?
Related words
Common phrases
all one's skills and strength
feeling uncomfortable all over
Common mistake
Learners often mix this up with 周身, but remember that 周身 is the natural choice for everyday speech. Using 渾身 in casual conversation might make you sound like you are speaking in a written or overly formal style.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
