暗安
àm-an
暗安 (àm-an) is the Hokkien way to say goodnight.
暗安 is a greeting used when meeting someone in the evening.
How do you pronounce it?
àm-an
Did you know?
- While English speakers say 'goodnight' to mean 'sleep well', a Hokkien speaker using 暗安 is effectively wishing you a 'peaceful darkness'.
- Because Hokkien is a tonal language, the meaning of 暗安 can change entirely if the tones are shifted, making precise pronunciation vital for the blessing to be understood.
- In many Hokkien-speaking communities, people may prefer to use a phrase about 'sleeping' rather than 'night' when parting ways for the evening.
Example conversation
Zhiming meets Shufen at a night market.
- 志明 Chi-ming淑芬，暗安！Sio̍k-hun, àm-an!Shufen, good evening!
- 淑芬 Siok-fun志明，暗安！你在做什麼？Chì-bêng, àm-an! Lí chài chò-siánn-mih?Zhiming, good evening! What are you doing?
- 志明 Chi-ming我在買晚餐。Guá chài béu uán-chhan.I am buying dinner.
- 淑芬 Siok-fun我也一樣。Guá iā í-kâng.Me too.
