ABSTRACT
The Cantonese verb combines with a rich, versatile set of particles (also known as verbal complements). The resulting combinations often resemble those known as verb–particle constructions (or phrasal verbs) in English, as in the following cases: tiu héi 跳起 jump up tiu gwo 跳過 jump over báai dāi 擺低 put down báai fāan 擺返 put back The particles may indicate the state of an object as the result of an action or may indicate different phases of an action (beginning, continuing or ending). According to the functions they serve, they can be divided into the following categories:
directional particles, indicating the direction of movement or action: máaih 買 buy + yahp 入 → máaih yahp 買人 buy in, acquire gei 寄 send + chēut 出 → gei chēut 寄出 send out gwa 掛 hang + héi 起 → gwa héi 掛起 hang up fong 放 put + dāi 低 → fong dāi 放低 put down ló 攞 bring + fāan 返 → ló fāan 攞返 bring back gīng 經 pass + gwo 過 → gīng gwo 經過 pass by hàahng 行 walk + hōi 開 → hàaahng hōi 行開 walk away, step out hàahng 行 walk + màaih 埋 → hàahng màaih 行埋 come closer
Note that some of these items (yahp 入, chēut 出, fāan 返 and gwo 過) are the same as the directional verbs introduced in Unit 15. The meaning of the combinations is often predictable, as in the above examples, but it can also be figurative or quite idiomatic as in the following cases: 85 héi 起 uP Lóuhbáan hóu tái héi kéuih 老闆好睇起佢 The boss has a high opinion of him. Ngóh juhng meih jouh héi gūngfo 我仲未做起功課 I haven’t finished my homework. fāan 返 back Kéuih yìhgā jouh fāan gíingchaat 佢依家做返警察 He’s gone back to being a policeman. Ngóh séung méaih fāan dī leng sāam 我想買返啲靚衫 I want to buy myself some nice clothes. gwo 過 over Léih jeui hóu sé-gwo pīn mán 你最好寫過篇文 You’d better rewrite (write over) the essay. Ngóh hah chi sīn tùhng léih wáan gwo 我下次先同你玩過 I’ll play with you again next time.
resultative particles, describing the extent or consequences of an action:
sihk 食 ‘eat’ + báau 飽 ‘full’ → sihk báau 食飽 ‘eat one’s full share’
gáan 揀 ‘choose’ + cho 錯 ‘wrong’ → gáan cho 揀錯 ‘make the wrong choice’
gáau 搞 ‘manage’ + dihm 掂 ‘conclusively’ → gáau dihm 搞掂 ‘deal with’
lám 諗 ‘think’ + dihng 定 ‘in advance’ → lám dihng 諗定 ‘think in advance’
sāu 收 ‘collect’ + dóu 到 ‘reach’ → sāu dóu 收到 ‘receive’
heui 去 ‘go’ + dou 到 ‘reach’ → heui dou 去到 ‘arrive’
jouh 做 ‘do’ + hóu 好 ‘well’ → jouh hóu 做好 ‘finish up’ (doing)
sihk 食 ‘eat’ + jihng 淨 ‘remain’ → sihk jihng 食淨 ‘leave behind’ (after eating)
sé 寫 ‘write’ + mìhng 明 ‘clear’ → sé mìhng 寫明 ‘put in writing’
muhn 悶 ‘bored’ + séi 死 ‘die’ → muhn séi 悶死 ‘(be) bore(d) to death’
jouh 做 ‘do’ + sèhng 成 ‘whole’ → jouh sèhng 做成 ‘complete’ (a deal, etc.)
gaau 教 ‘teach’ + waaih 壞 ‘bad’ → gaau waaih 教壞 ‘lead astray’
tái 睇 ‘read’ + yùhn 完 ‘finish’ → tái yùhn 睇完 ‘finish reading’
