zing2 laan6整爛整烂
Jyutpingzing2 laan6
Yalejíng laahn
Definition
To break, damage, or destroy something.
colloquialdaily actionsdescriptions
How it's used
This verb is a classic example of a resultative construction where the second character indicates the outcome of the action. It is used for both accidental damage and intentional destruction, though it often implies a sense of carelessness or clumsiness on the part of the subject. It is far more common in daily speech than formal verbs like 損壞.
Examples
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 爛, which is an adjective meaning broken. Remember that 整爛 is a verb phrase requiring an object, whereas 爛 describes the state of an object that is already broken.
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).
