病
beng6
The Cantonese word for sick is 病 (beng6).
The word 病 can function as an adjective meaning 'sick' and a noun meaning 'illness' or 'disease'.
Meaning: ill, used as a substantive: sick people, collectively (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
To indicate that someone has fallen ill or has become sick, the aspect marker 咗 (zo2) is added after 病 (beng6).
How do you pronounce it?
beng6
Did you know?
- The phrase 病假 ('sick leave') is often paired with the verb 請, meaning 'to invite', creating a phrase that sounds like 'inviting sick leave'.
- The term 病態 (beng6 taai3) can describe a 'morbid' state, but it has evolved into internet slang to describe an obsessive, 'crazy' level of devotion to a hobby.
- While 病 refers to the state of being ill, the word 唔舒服 ('not comfortable') is often preferred in social settings to politely signal that one is feeling sick without being too graphic.
Examples in context
- 聽講話你病咗喎。I hear you have been sick.This sentence uses 病 to express that someone has been sick.Tatoeba #402511 by nickyeow, translation #54334 by CC
- 佢上個禮拜病咗。He was sick last week.This sentence uses 病 to describe someone being sick in the past.Tatoeba #821424 by nickyeow, translation #272762 by CK
- 得閒死唔得閒病。I don't have time to be sick.This sentence uses 病 to express the idea of having no time to be sick.Tatoeba #5374575 by nickyeow, translation #564495 by CM
- 我病咗I am sick
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ka Ming is asking Ya Ting why she missed the party.
- 家明 Ka Ming點解尋日你冇嚟？dim2 gaai3 cam4 jat6 nei5 mou5 lai4?Why didn't you come yesterday?
- 雅婷 Nga Ting因為我病咗，所以唔敢出街。jan1 wai6 ngo5 bing6 zo2, so2 ji5 m4 gam2 ceot1 gaai1.Because I was sick, so I didn't dare go out.
- 家明 Ka Ming而家好啲未？ji1 gaa1 hou2 di1 mei6?Are you feeling better now?
- 雅婷 Nga Ting好咗好多，多謝你關心。hou2 zo2 hou2 do1, do1 ze6 nei5 gwaan1 sam1.Much better, thank you for your concern.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
