zam2怎
Jyutpingzam2
Yalejám
Definition
How or why; used to ask about method, state, or reason.
colloquialcommunication
How it's used
Native speakers almost exclusively use 點 instead of 怎 in spoken Cantonese. While 怎 is recognizable from written Chinese, it sounds unnatural or overly formal when used in casual conversation. Using 點 makes your speech sound significantly more authentic and approachable.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 怎 because it appears in textbooks or written materials, but it is rarely heard in daily life. Stick to 點 for both 'how' and 'why' questions to avoid sounding like you are reading from a script.
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.
