zaam2 ngaan5眨眼
Jyutpingzaam2 ngaan5
Yalejáam ngáahn
Definition
To blink; to open and close one's eyes quickly.
colloquialbodytime
How it's used
Beyond the literal physical action, this term is frequently used in the phrase 眨吓眼 to describe how quickly time passes. It captures the feeling of a moment slipping away before one can fully process it. When used in this figurative sense, it often implies surprise at how fast events have unfolded.
Examples
Are your eyes uncomfortable? Why do you keep blinking?
In the blink of an eye, an hour has already passed.
Related words
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
