優雅
jau1 ngaa5
The Cantonese word for grace (referring to elegance, poise or balance) is 優雅 (jau1 ngaa5).
優雅 is used to describe the aesthetic quality of movements, art or prose. It can also be used to describe a person's manner.
Meaning: elegant movement, poise or balance (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
jau1 ngaa5
Did you know?
- A person who is very graceful in a way that seems effortless and natural might be described using the term 大方, which literally means 'big square' but implies a composed and graceful demeanor.
- While 優雅 describes aesthetic grace, Cantonese uses a completely different word, 恩典, to describe 'grace' in a religious or spiritual sense. Using 優雅 to thank God for his grace would be a mistake.
- The character 優 originally referred to a person who was 'excessive' or 'surplus'. Over time, the meaning evolved from having 'too much' to having a 'superior' quality of grace.
Examples in context
Example conversation
Ka Yan and Zhi Qiang are watching a ballet performance.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan你覺得個舞者點樣？nei5 gok3 dak1 go3 mou2 ze2 dim2 joeng2?What do you think of the dancer?
- 志強 Chi Keung佢嘅動作充滿咗優雅。keoi5 ge3 dung6 zok3 cung1 mun2 zo2 jau1 ngaa2.His movements are full of grace.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan係，佢跳得好輕盈。hai6, keoi5 tiu3 dak1 hou2 hing1 jing4.Yes, he dances very lightly.
- 志強 Chi Keung真係好令人欣賞。zan1 hai6 hou2 ling6 jan4 jau5 sing1.It is really admirable.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
