Adjectives

35 phrases · Hakka with romanization, English and audio

  1. 大

    tai3

    Big

    Usage

    Describes size, e.g. when talking about clothes or a room

    Grammar Note

    The dictionary's first sense is large in volume, age or capacity; it can precede a noun as in 大雨. The opposite is 細

  2. 細

    se3

    Small

    Usage

    Says something is small in size, e.g. clothes or a room

    Grammar Note

    細 has two readings, se3 and xi3; se3 "tiny / small" is used here. The dictionary also has 大細 (tai3 se3) meaning "size". 小 (seu2) is another antonym of 大

  3. 重

    cung1

    Heavy

    Usage

    Describes the weight of luggage or goods

    Grammar Note

    重 has several readings; weight is cung1. cung3 means "important" and is a different word. The dictionary example is 東西恁重, "this thing is so heavy"

  4. 輕

    kiang1

    Light (weight)

    Usage

    Says luggage or goods are light

    Grammar Note

    輕 meaning light in weight is kiang1; kin1 is a different reading used in senses like "minor" or "nimble". The opposite is 重

  5. 貴

    gui3

    Expensive

    Usage

    Says a price is high; used when shopping

    Grammar Note

    The dictionary's first sense is "high priced", with the example 價錢當貴. Put 當 (dong1) before it for "very expensive". The opposite is 便宜

  6. 便宜

    pien5 ngi5

    Cheap

    Usage

    Says a price is low

    Grammar Note

    The dictionary's first sense is "low priced" (example 青菜當便宜); sense 2 is "undeserved gain". Note 俗 (xiug8) does not mean cheap

  7. 熱

    ngied8

    Hot (to the touch)

    Usage

    Says a drink, food or object is hot

    Grammar Note

    熱 means high temperature and is opposed to 冷. It also appears in 鬧熱 "lively"

  8. 冷

    lang1

    Cold (to the touch)

    Usage

    Says a drink or object is cold

    Grammar Note

    The first sense is "cool, low temperature", with the example 冷氣 (air conditioning). For low air temperature 寒 can also be used

  9. 新

    xin1

    New

    Usage

    Describes new items

    Grammar Note

    The dictionary example is 新衫, "new clothes". The opposite is 舊

  10. 舊

    kiu3

    Old (thing)

    Usage

    Describes used or old things

    Grammar Note

    The example is 舊衫, "old clothes". It describes things or the past, not elderly people

  11. 年輕

    ngien5 kiang1

    Young

    Usage

    Describes young people

    Grammar Note

    The dictionary glosses it as "of tender age" and lists 後生 (heu3 sang1) as a synonym. The 輕 here is read kiang1

  12. 老人家

    lo2 ngin5 ga1

    Old (person)

    Usage

    A respectful way to refer to an elderly person

    Grammar Note

    In the dictionary this is a noun, "elderly person". The adjective 老 (lo2) means aged; the homograph lo5 is a different word

  13. 淨俐

    qiang3 li3

    Clean

    Usage

    Says a room or place is clean

    Grammar Note

    Glossed as "clean"; the example is 屋肚一哪都當淨俐 ("it is clean everywhere in the house"). The opposite is 垃圾

  14. 垃圾

    la2 sab4

    Dirty

    Usage

    Says a room or toilet is dirty

    Grammar Note

    The dictionary's first sense is the adjective "dirty", not only "rubbish" as in Mandarin. The opposite is 淨俐

  15. 好

    ho2

    Good

    Usage

    Says something is good

    Grammar Note

    好 is ho2 "good"; hau3 "to like" is a different word, so watch the tone

  16. 壞

    fai2

    Bad

    Usage

    Says quality or condition is bad

    Grammar Note

    Glossed as "broken; not good". fai3 is a different, verbal word ("to worsen"). The opposite is 好

  17. 近

    kiun1

    Near

    Usage

    Says a distance is short

    Grammar Note

    Glossed as "short in time or space". The opposite is 遠

  18. 遠

    ien2

    Far

    Usage

    Says a distance is long

    Grammar Note

    遠 is ien2 (rising-falling tone 2). The opposite is 近

  19. 早

    zo2

    Early

    Usage

    Describes early time; 恁早 is also used as a morning greeting

    Grammar Note

    The dictionary glosses it as "just after dawn" and "earlier than expected"

  20. 遲

    cii5

    Late

    Usage

    Says something is late

    Grammar Note

    Sense 3 in the dictionary is "late, not early" (example 遲到). For a slow speed use 慢 (man3)

  21. 多

    do1

    Many

    Usage

    Says a number or amount is large

    Grammar Note

    Sense 1 is "not few, large in quantity". The same character is in 多謝 "thank you"

  22. 少

    seu2

    Few

    Usage

    Says a number or amount is small

    Grammar Note

    少 is seu2; seu3 (as in 少年) is the different word "young". The opposite is 多

  23. 天時熱

    tien1 sii5 ngied8

    Hot (weather)

    Usage

    Used to say the weather is hot

    Grammar Note

    The dictionary example under 熱 is 天時恁熱 "the weather is so hot". This is built by placing 天時 and 熱 together; add 恁 for "so"

  24. 天時寒

    tien1 sii5 hon5

    Cold (weather)

    Usage

    Used to say the weather is cold

    Grammar Note

    寒 describes low air temperature (dictionary example 寒天). Built by placing 天時 before it. For things that are cold to touch use 冷

  25. 得人惜

    ded4 ngin5 xiag4

    Cute

    Usage

    Said when seeing a child, animal or small thing

    Grammar Note

    Glossed as "lovable"; the example is about a cat. Literally "worth cherishing". A synonym is 可愛 (ko2 oi3)

  26. 好食

    ho2 siid8

    Delicious

    Usage

    Says food tastes good

    Grammar Note

    The dictionary lists 還好食 and 無好食. 好 is ho2 "good", not hau3 "like". Say 當好食 for "very tasty"

  27. 厲害

    li3 hoi3

    Amazing

    Usage

    Praises someone's skill or a result

    Grammar Note

    Glossed as "very capable"; the example is 還厲害! Synonyms include 慶 and 湛斗

  28. 好尞

    ho2 liau3

    Fun

    Usage

    Says a place or activity is fun

    Grammar Note

    Glossed as "a fun place, good for relaxing". 尞 (liau3) is the Hakka word for "to play, to rest"

  29. 較多

    ka3 do1

    More

    Usage

    Says "more" of something

    Grammar Note

    較 (ka3) is an adverb meaning "more" before an adjective; the dictionary lists 還較多. Composed from 較 and 多

  30. 一息仔

    id4 xid8 e2

    Just a little

    Usage

    Says a small amount

    Grammar Note

    A dictionary headword; the suffix 仔 (e2) marks a small amount

  31. 一半

    id4 ban3

    Half

    Usage

    Says "half" of something

    Grammar Note

    Glossed as "one half"; the example is 分一半你, "I'll give you half"

  32. 全部

    qion5 pu3

    All of it

    Usage

    Says "all" or "everything"

    Grammar Note

    A dictionary headword; 歸下 and 總共 are close synonyms

  33. 靚

    jiang1

    Pretty / beautiful

    Usage

    Compliments a person or scenery

    Grammar Note

    靚 is the Hakka word for "pretty", read jiang1; the dictionary example is 恁靚个水果 "such nice-looking fruit"

  34. 慢

    man3

    Slow

    Usage

    Describes a slow vehicle or movement

    Grammar Note

    Sense 2 is "low speed" (example 慢車). For lateness in time use 遲

  35. 快樂

    kuai3 log8

    Happy

    Usage

    Says you feel happy

    Grammar Note

    Glossed as "joyful"; a synonym is 歡喜. The example is 當快樂樣仔

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