wan4 wan4芸芸
Jyutpingwan4 wan4
Yalewàhn wàhn
Definition
Numerous; many; a large amount of.
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How it's used
This term is almost exclusively used in the fixed expression 芸芸眾生 to refer to the vast masses of humanity. Outside of this specific idiom, it functions as a literary or formal way to describe a large group of people or things. You will rarely hear it in casual, everyday speech unless you are being poetic or slightly dramatic.
Examples
Among the multitudes of people, who is the most suitable for you?
He stood out among the numerous candidates.
Related words
Common phrases
all living things; the masses
Common mistake
Do not use this as a general quantifier for objects or money, as it is reserved for people or abstract groups. It is not a direct substitute for 多 or 好多.
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.
