zaa4 zaa4 lam4咋咋臨咋咋临
Jyutpingzaa4 zaa4 lam4
Yalejàh jàh làhm
Definition
Quickly; without wasting time; to hurry up.
colloquialdaily actions
How it's used
This adverbial phrase carries a sense of urgency and impatience, often used to urge someone to stop stalling or wasting time. It is essentially an emphatic way of saying fast, frequently used in situations where the speaker feels the current pace is too slow. The reduplication of the first character adds a rhythmic, informal quality that makes it sound more natural and pressing than simply saying 快啲.
Examples
Hurry up and pack your things, we need to leave.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this in formal or professional writing, as it is strictly colloquial and can sound quite demanding or rude depending on the tone of voice. It is best reserved for friends, family, or close colleagues.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
