zaa3 sit3咋舌
Jyutpingzaa3 sit3
Yaleja sit
Definition
Astonished, dumbfounded, or left speechless, usually in a negative or disapproving sense.
writtenemotiondescriptions
How it's used
Describes a reaction of shock or disbelief, often triggered by something excessive like an exorbitant price or an outrageous act. Unlike neutral words for surprise, it carries a sense of disapproval or judgment regarding the scale of the subject. It is frequently used in formal or written contexts, though it appears in speech when commenting on extreme situations.
Examples
His salary is truly astonishing.
Seeing the price, everyone was left speechless in shock.
Related words
Common phrases
astonishing
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe pleasant surprises, as it almost exclusively implies a negative or critical reaction to something overwhelming.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
