#26 Learning Tip: SFPs 3 - zaa3, ze1, zek1, and zaa4 (English/粵語)
More sentence final particles in this episode, this time centering around ones beginning with "z." They can be helpful for talking about quantity, degree, and justification--like when you're talking about that person who's "just" a friend...
Vocabulary
1. 打算 daa2 syun3 (V/N) to plan; plan
2. 理解 lei5 gaai2 (V/N) to understand; comprehension
3. 數量 sou3 loeng6 (N) quantity
4. 程度 cing4 dou6 (N) degree, extent, level
5. 具體 geoi6 tai2 (ADJ) specific
6. 示範 si6 faan6 (V/N) to demonstrate; demonstration
7. 買餸 maai5 sung3 (VO) to buy food/grocery
8. 減價 gaam2 gaa3 (VO/N) to reduce price; (on) sale
9. 想像 soeng2 zoeng6 (V/N) to imagine; imagination
10. 方言 fong1 jin4 (N) dialect, topolect
11. 抽象 cau1 zoeng6 (ADJ) abstract
12. 結果 git3 gwo2 (N) consequence, result
13. 呢排 ni1 paai2/4 (ADV) recently (lit. this period)
14. 鋪頭 pou3 tau2 (N) shop, store
15. 相反 soeng1 faan2 (ADJ) opposite
16. 合理 hap6 lei5 (ADJ) reasonable
17. 感冒 gam2 mou6 (V/N) to catch a cold; cold
18. 辯護 bin6 wu6 (N/V) defense; to defend
19. 廣泛 gwong2 faan6 (ADJ) broad, wide
20. 純粹 seon4 seoi5 (ADV) purely
21. 強調 koeng4 diu6 (V) to emphasize, to stress
22. 官方 gun1 fong1 (ADJ) official
23. 強烈 koeng4 lit6 (ADJ) intense, strong
24. 主觀性 zyu2 gun1 sing3 (N) subjectivity
25. 濕濕碎 sap1 sap1 seoi3 (EXP) easy job, trivial
26. 親密 can1 mat6 (ADJ) intimate
27. 台詞 toi4 ci4 (N) lines (of stage performance)
28. 語感 jyu5 gam2 (N) language intuition/sense
29. 負面 fu6 min2 (ADJ) negative
30. 唔耐煩 m4 noi6 faan4 (ADJ) impatient
31. 不滿 bat1 mun5 (ADJ/N) unsatisfied; dissatisfaction
32. 囉唆 lo1 so1 (ADJ) long winded, naggy
33. 埋怨 maai4 jyun3 (V) complain
34. 整體 zing2 tai2 (ADJ) overall
35. 浪漫 long6 maan6 (ADJ/N) romantic; romance
36. 嬌嗲 giu1 de2 (ADJ) girlish
37. 氹 tam3 (V) to cheer up, to coax
38. 密切 mat6 cit3 (ADJ) close, intimate
39. 生動 sang1 dung6 (ADJ) lively, vivid
40. 印象 jan3 zoeng6 (N) impression
41. 活靈活現 wut6 ling4 wut6 jin6 (EXP) lifelike, vivid
42. 不屑 bat1 sit3 (ADJ/V) distained; to disdain
43. 肯定 hang2 ding6 (N/ADJ) certainty; certain
44. 反問句 faan2 man6 geoi3 (N) rhetorical question
45. 關聯 gwaan1 lyun4 (N) association, relation
ADJ - Adjective
ADV - Adverb
EXP - Expression
N - Noun
V - Verb
VO- Verb object
Cameron: Alright, Raymond, today we're gonna do more SFPs, because there are always more SFPs to discuss. And I know you've picked a couple that are a little similar to each other, but have fine, sort of fine differences, today. So what are the SFPs that we're gonna be talking about?
Raymond: 好，今日我打算1同大家講嘅呢，都係喺呢個粵拼裏面呢，都係 “z” 字頭嘅。我哋今日只係講四個啫，講四個咋。噉呢就係“咋 (zaa3)”、“啫 (ze1) ”、“唧（zek1）”同 “喳（zaa4）”。噉呢我諗到呢四個都係“z”字頭嘅，噉佢哋都有關嘅。噉所以要理解2呢，其實都唔係好難嘅。噉但係我首先問吓 Cameron 你，我覺得其實你都基本上你亦都知道嘅，譬如最簡單啦，我哋會講“咋”同“啫”呢兩個比較似嘅。一個呢係“z-a-a-3，咋”，另外一個係“z-e”，第一聲，“啫 （ze1）”。你嘅理解呢兩個係咩意思呀？
(Alright, what I am planning to talk about with everyone are particles that begin with “z” in Jyutping. We will just be talking about four of them today. They are zaa3, ze1, zek1, and zaa4. I thought of these four beginning with “z” because they are related. It’s not too difficult to understand them. But first I’ll ask you Cameron, as I think you basically know, like in a simple sense, when we say zaa3 or ze1, do you know what they mean?)
Cameron: These ones, in my understanding, just mean “just” or “only”, “just that”, “only that”. And, to me it feels a little bit like adding “而已” at the end of a sentence in Mandarin or even just any sentences “only”.
Raymond: 係呀，我覺得你已經講得好清楚，即係都係好好嘅解釋啦。即係，英文嗰個意思啦，即係你又會記得就係 “just”、“only” 係一個，你都係指譬如數量3或者程度4上面係比較少嘅。噉呀，另外亦都似普通話嘅“而已” (in Mandarin)，“而已” (in Cantonese)。噉呀廣東話呢，就變成一個語氣詞，變成“咋”或者“啫”啦。噉所以大概呢， z 字頭呢幾個都有小小噉樣嘅意思嘅。噉我哋具體5呢，即係譬如講點樣用呀，或者啲例子呢，可以幫大家明白多啲啦。噉呢，不如… 係喇，我又一路，開始嘅時候我又首先請阿 Cameron 你，不如你試吓你諗一個例子我哋講“咋”啦，啱啱就係話，係‘只係’“比較少”噉嘅意思係咪，你諗唔諗到一個例句呀？可唔可以試吓、示範6吓點樣用呀？
(Yes, I think you already said it pretty clearly, that’s a good explanation. For the English meaning, what you need to remember is “just,” or “only,” both in terms of speaking of a relatively small quantity or extent. There’s also the term éryî in Mandarin, or ji4ji5 in Cantonese. But in Cantonese, it becomes a tonal sentence final particle, zaa3 or ze1. For the most part, ones beginning with “z” have the meaning of “a little.” Let’s talk concretely about how to use them, or some examples, so people can understand them better. Well, how about… when I start I’ll ask you first, how about you think of an example with zaa3, like I just said, with the meaning of “relatively few,” can you think of an example sentence? Can you try modeling how it’s used?)
Cameron: 點樣用“咋”係咪？ (How to use zaa3, right?) I love using these when there's sort of a difference in perception of how much something is. So… like I just read, you know, two books this week. 兩本咋。(Only two.)
Raymond: 係。
(Yes.)
Cameron: You know, just something where to you, it means it's not that much, it's just a little bit. Usually for me it goes with numbers, right?
Raymond: 係喇。數字啦，數量啦，同埋呢我哋成日講錢啦。“嘩好平呀！”即係而家買餸7呢減價8呀。噉就譬如“十蚊咋”噉樣啦，即係同數字，你啱啱講啱啦。噉當然喇，唔係淨係數字啦，噉又可以係程度啦，即係比你想像9中係少啲嘅。噉例如我問你，譬如啦，阿 Cameron 呀，你識講幾多種話呀？你好似識講好多種語言喎聽講。
(Yes, numbers, quantity, and money—which we always talk about. “So cheap!” Like what we might say when food is on sale. For instance, we might say, “It’s just ten bucks!” So with numbers, like what I just said. Of course, it’s not just for numbers, it can also be for degree, like when something is less than what you imagined it to be. For instance, I might ask you, Cameron, how many languages do you know? It seems you know quite a few, from what I hear.)
Cameron: Let's just do forms of Chinese, so 三種咋。(Just three)
Raymond: 係，你點解用個“咋”字呀？
(Yes, why did you use zaa3?)
Cameron: It’s used for three because there's so many different forms of Chinese. There's far more than three, so that's why I'm saying it.
Raymond: 係啦，甚至呢，你唔講嘅個數字呢，即係當然你話三種好少啦，應該可能大家以爲你識講十幾種啦。或者你唔講個三字，你就噉講：“我淨係識講普通話同廣東話同少少臺語咋。”噉呢個亦都係表示嗰個比想像中少嘅。噉另外呢就係，噉如果問問題嘅時候呢，噉唔係話淨係回答先至可以講“咋”啦。譬如我問你嘅時候，即係我可能都覺得“呀咁少？”噉我會話：“你係唔係淨係識講三種呢個方言10咋？”噉樣。
(Yes, furthermore, the number that you don’t say—like of course, you’re say it’s just three—perhaps it’s because everyone thinks you can speak ten different kinds. Or you can go without saying “three,” you might say, “I only know Mandarin, Cantonese, and some Taiwanese.” Here it [the particle zaa3] also expresses the idea that it’s fewer than expected. Another instance is if when asking a question, as you don’t just use zaa1 when responding to a question. For instance, when asking you, I might think, “So few?” so I’ll say, “Is it true that you can only speak three dialects?” Like that.)
噉呢個喺問題裏面都可以用個“咋”字嘅。噉所以呢我諗呢個都比較清楚啦。即係，頭先講譬如講數量相對少啲。噉另外再講抽象11少少呢，譬如呢你要解釋嘅時候呢，一個例子就係話，我去… 即係呢個，呢個結果12呢，係比想像中少呢，係有原因嘅。如果唔係呢，噉呀你會即係可能仲會多啲嘅，即係或者我舉個具體嘅例子啦。“今日呢可能有啲凍咋，如果唔係呢，我會跑得快好多呀。” 噉樣。
(That’s how you can use zaa3 in a question. I think that’s rather clear, like when speaking of numbers or something that is relatively less. There’s also an abstract sense of “a little,” like when you are giving an explanation, and an example would be if I went… Like this, this result, it’s less than imagined, it has this reason. If not for that, it would otherwise be more. Or I can just give a concrete example: “Today it’s just that it’s rather cold, otherwise I would have run a lot faster.” Like that.)
噉呢個“咋”呢，即係解釋點解少，即係少咗嘅。係因爲噉樣咋。如果唔係呢，我會仲會多啲，噉樣。不如 Cameron 你又試吓做一個例子係用呢個意思嘅。咩咩咩咋，所以個結果同你想像有啲唔同嘅。
(Now this zaa3 is for when the sense of “just” emphasizes the explanation. It’s just because of this. If it weren’t, I would do more, like that. Cameron, how about you try to use it with this meaning. Something something something jaa3, so the result is not the same as expected.)
Cameron: 所以呢排13客人好少咋，所以今日鋪頭14唔開門。
(So recently it’s just been that customers are very few, so today the shop isn’t opening. [usage a bit off])
Raymond: 嗯，係啦，我諗吓先呀，係咪噉樣解釋㗎。“今日客人少咋，如果唔係呢…”其實可能後面要改一改。因爲係“今日客人少咋，如果唔係呢，我今日呢，生意呢，會賺到幾多幾多錢呀。”噉樣。應該係相反15嘅，係喇。即係“如果唔係”，係喇。
(Uh, yeah, let me think for a second if that’s how to explain it. “Today customers are very few, if it weren’t for that…” Actually the end might need changing a little. Because “Today the customers are very few, if it weren’t for that, today, doing business, I’d earn a lot of money.” Like that. There should be a contrast. Like “If it weren’t for that,” like that.)
Cameron: 啊。
(Ah.)
Raymond: 呢個合唔合理16呀？例如我啱啱病好啦，我話：“係呀，即係我，因爲我之前感冒17咋，如果唔係我呢次考試100分。”
(Does this make sense? Like if I just got better from being sick, I’d say, “Yeah, yeah, it's just because I was sick before, otherwise I would have gotten 100% on the test.)
Cameron: 嗯。（笑）
(Ah. )
Raymond: 就係噉囉。
(That’s how it is.)
Cameron: 阿哥話佢想煮嘢咋，如果唔係，係我自己煮嘅。
(Big brother said he would cook, if it weren’t for that, I’d be the one cooking.)
Raymond: 係，係啦，即係，係喇應該係噉嘅意思。係啦，因為今日我阿哥佢話要煮咋，如果唔係呀，你哋就，係啦，食到我煮嘅嘢喇噉。係啦，你個意思係啱嘅。即係因爲有人煮所以你唔使煮噉樣囉。噉呀同埋呢另外一個，我諗可能呢個仲幫到你記得清楚啲就係，你係嘗試爲一件事去做辯護18嘅，你係想解釋個理由嘅，一個 defense 嚟嘅，例如“我今日冇返學，係因爲我肚痛咋。”其實我唔係唔想返學呀，我肚痛咋，所以我冇嚟返學咯。噉呢個係一個，一個解釋囉。即係可能對方唔知嘅，你想話返俾佢聽。噉呀，或者例如…
(Yes, yes, it’s that, that’s the meaning it should be. Yes, it’s just because today my big brother said he’d cook, if he hadn’t, you’d be eating my cooking. Yes, this meaning is correct. Because someone else is cooking, you don’t need to cook. Also, one other way that might help you remember this more clearly is that you are trying to offer a defence, explaining a reason, a defense, like, “Today I didn’t go to school because I had a stomach ache.” It’s not that I didn’t want to go to school, it’s just that I had a stomach ache, so I didn’t go to school. This is an explanation [or justification]. Perhaps the other party doesn’t know and you want to tell them. Or like…)
Cameron: 功課係狗食嘅咋，如果唔係,我仲可以俾你啦。
(It’s just that my homework was eaten by a dog, if it weren’t I could give it to you.)
Raymond: 係呀，我冇… 我交唔到功課就係俾隻狗食咗咋噉樣。不過呢個喺，可能喺講廣東話嘅學生比較少聽到噉樣，噉樣嘅解釋。
(Yes, I can’t hand in my homework because it was eaten by my dog. But this explanation, maybe it is heard less among Cantonese-speaking students.)
Cameron: 係呀，呢個係英文嘅講法入廣東話嘅。
(Yeah, it’s an English saying put into Cantonese.)
Raymond: 噉所以呢個“咋”呢，即係其實可以都講得幾廣泛19 嘅，即係唔係純粹20話數字同埋多少呢，其實好好用嘅呢個“咋”。噉呢，“啫”呢基本上亦都係差唔多。但係你感唔感覺到“啫”同“咋”係咪好似有少少唔一樣呢？基本上個意思係一樣。你覺得有冇，有咩分別呢？
(So this “zaa3” is fairly broad, it’s not just purely about numbers or something being less, it’s very useful. Now “ze1” is essentially the same. But don’t you think that ze1 and zaa3 are a tad different? The essential meaning is the same. Do you think there is a difference?)
Cameron: So to me, I think the tone, the tone is a little different.
Raymond: 係。
(Yes.)
Cameron: It has a more, a stronger tone, expressing a sense of “only” than if I just use zaa3 or ze1.
Raymond: 係，係咯，我覺得可能都同個聲調係有啲關係。因爲比較高調呢，即係你更加強調21呢樣嘢，即係好少嘅啫。噉呀，係咯，我講“好少嘅啫”。噉呢同“好似嘅咋”我覺得已經感覺有啲唔同。即係你更加去強調，佢呢樣嘢係少少，唔係好多。噉但係呢頭先你呢，一開始你有講個“啫（ze1）”都有講個“唧（zek1）”，即係一個長一個短呢，喺粵拼呢，一個係“z-e”第一聲，一個係“z-e-k”。噉你有冇“k”呢，即係短啲呢，其實都有少少分別嘅喎。噉，嗱我又睇返即係啲比較官方22啲嘅解釋呀，“啫”同“唧”噉呀仲有啲咩具體嘅用法啦。
(Yes, yes, I think it has to do with the tone. Because for a higher tone [i.e. 1 vs. 3], it has more of an emphasis, as in, “just a little.” If I say, “It’s only a little bit” and “It’s only a little” [Cantonese difference being ze1 and zaa3], I think they’re already quite different. So it’s for if you are trying to emphasize that this sort of thing is very little, it’s not very much. Now earlier you said ze1 and also said zek1. One is shorter and one longer in Jyutping, the first is “z-e” and the first tone, the second is “z-e-k.” Whether you have that “k,” making it shorter, that also causes a little bit of a difference. Now I want to consult an official explanation of the concrete usages of ze1 and zek1.)
噉，嗱頭先都話啦，“啫”呢就係，我首先唔講有 k，即係就正常啲長啲音嗰個“啫”呢，就大致上同“咋”係差唔多嘅。不過呢，呢個係我覺得更加強烈23、更加多呢個主觀性24呀，即係話我好強調呢個係小小，唔係好多嘅。例如：“而家都係九點啫。”即係我冇咁早瞓嘅噉樣。即係而家係仲係有少少早，噉所以冇乜嘢噉樣。即係強調，有啲似英文 “It’s no big deal.” 噉呢樣嘢，廣東話都叫“濕濕碎25啦”噉樣，有噉嘅意思。噉你諗唔諗到一個例子呀，用“啫”？
(So first I said ze1 without the k, which usually has a longer sound for the ze1, it is largely the same as zaa3. However, I think it has more emphasis, more a sense of subjectivity, in that I am stressing that it is only a little, it is not a lot. Such as: “It’s only nine o’clock now.” I don’t go to sleep that early, it’s still a little early, so no big deal. It emphasizes, similar to “It’s no big deal” in English. In Cantonese we would also say sap1 sap1 seoi3, that meaning. Can you think of an example when you might use ze1?)
Cameron: 我諗到嘅就係，都係喺電影裏邊出現嘅，就係“我哋係朋友啫”。
(What I think of is something that also appears in movies, which is, “We’re just friends.”)
Raymond: 係喇，係喇。
(Yup, yup.)
Cameron: 譬如話如果有個男人佢嘅女朋友問佢：“你同另一個女人點解係咁親密26嘅？”佢會講：“我哋係朋友啫。”
(For instance, if there’s a guy and his girlfriend find him and asks: “Why are you and that girl so close?” He might say, “We’re just friends!”)
Raymond: 係呀，呢個真係經常出現嘅台詞27。“我哋朋友啫，我哋一般關係嘅啫，我哋冇咩嘅啫。”噉樣。係喇，同“咋”呢，即係“咋”嗰個又有少少過度嘅辯護，呢個係即係你英文有啲似 downplay，即係話“呢個唔係有乜嘢大不了嘅啫”噉樣嗰個意思。噉所以呢，你啱啱講呢個就唔淨係數量啦，亦都係又係一個辯護啦，但係呢個係你主觀強調係少少，少少，唔多嘅。我覺得嗰個語氣呀，同埋嗰個強調，都有啲啲咁多多差別。噉仲有一個… 我睇吓先。係喇，噉有咗個 “k” 嗰個呢，“唧”呢，我覺得就，噉你覺得短啲呢個仲有啲咩特別意思呀？如果我講“唧”，就同“啫”又有少少唔一樣。
(Yup, this is a really classic line. “We’re just friends, it’s a totally regular relationship, there’s nothing going on.” Like that. Yes, and with zaa3, zaa3 also has a bit of the defensiveness, whas English might call to “downplay,” like, “There’s nothing to make a deal about here,” that meaning. So the example you just said wasn’t just quantity, it was also a justification, but it was your subjective emphasis of a little, just a little, not much. I think the tone and the emphasis have a certain degree of difference. Also there’s… let me see… when there’s a “k,” as in jek1, what do you think is special about it? Zek1 is a little different from ze1.)
Cameron: “唧”都係，it also comes in question sentences right? Because I've heard “點唧” (dim2 zek1) before quite a bit, which to me it means that “how can it be that?”
Raymond: 係喇，係喇。我覺得你講得好啱，其實我覺得你感覺得好好，你個語感28好好，即係呢個呢，“唧”就係，你嗰個語氣有啲負面29嘅、有啲唔耐煩30嘅、有啲不滿31嘅。噉所以呢，所以你，好似你要做啲聲音出嚟等對方聽到你嘅不滿意噉樣。噉所以譬如你唔耐煩呀，阿爸阿媽或者老師同啲學生會話：“你交咗功課未唧？你做好未唧？”噉樣，即係有少少囉唆32嗰啲語氣呢，就會噉有個“唧”字囉。同埋頭先你都講到男女朋友啦，又互相埋怨33喇：“你究竟幾時帶我去邊度唧？”噉樣，我諗你睇戲都聽到好多。
(Yes, yes, I think you’re right, I think you have a good feel for the language, this zek1, it has a bit of a negative tone, it’s a bit impatient, a bit dissatisfied. So you want to use a sound that conveys to the other party that you aren’t satisfied. So for example you’re impatient, or mom, dad, or a teacher says to a student, “Have you turned in your homework yet? Have you even finished it?” This has a bit of a nagging tone to it with the zek1. You also mentioned before a couple, they might also complain to each other, “When are you finally going to take me somewhere?” I think I’ve heard that when watching dramas.)
Cameron: Yeah, I know... definitely I’ve heard “zek1” quite a bit.
Raymond: 係，比較負面囉我覺得，整體34嗰個意思。噉所以呢就係我哋講咗“咋”、“啫”同“唧”啦。噉但係呢，呢嗰“唧”呢，又唔係話百分之百負面嘅。噉呀因爲語言好多時係你會有啲講反話呀，即係有啲，英文係 sarcasm 噉樣，係咪？但係呢，非常好嘅關係呢，噉你又會聽到啲好浪漫35，即係男女之間嘅關係，噉我哋廣東話叫“好嬌嗲36”啦。可能女仔會嗲個男朋友啦，男仔又會氹37個女仔呢，就會話：“你覺得噉樣好唔好唧？”噉樣。噉呀你哋嘅關係又其實又係好密切38嘅。噉呢個又係，非常好嘅時候，又可以變返做“唧”。
(Yes, I think it’s relatively negative in its overall meaning. So we’ve covered zaa3, ze1, and zek1. However, this zek1, it’s not negative 100% of the time. It’s because sometimes you’ll say what you don’t mean, what you call “sarcasm” in English, right? However, when there’s a really close relationship, like in a romantic relationship between a man and a woman, in Cantonese we’d call it very sweet, perhaps a woman will flirt with a guy or a guy will try to coax a woman, they’d say, “Do you like this?” [ending with zek1], like that. So your relationship is very close. So this is a really good time to use zek1.)
Cameron: Yeah, no, I think this is actually a great example where it can, in one context it sounds very cutesy, and there’s the other context it's not cutesy. It's your… you're really, um, you know, getting impatient with someone, so… context really matters with SFPs.
Raymond: 係喇，噉所以呢，我覺得呢個你搵到啲好生動39、好有趣嘅例子，可以幫到你記得呢，呢個係最好。好似頭先你講得好啱嘅，即係睇戲呀、睇電視呀、睇啲節目呀，聽得多呢，其實你會感受到佢哋嗰個感覺嘅。噉最後一個呢，就係，我哋又返返去個“咋”啦，噉其實呢你可以將佢變成第四聲嘅。噉如果你有印象40，我哋前兩集呢，第一集一開始我哋講嗰啲聲調同呢一個嘅助詞嘅關係嘅時候呢，阿 Cameron 你，嗱睇吓你可唔可以記得返喇，而家將佢變成第四聲，由“咋（zaa3）”變成“喳（zaa4）”。“喳”係最低個聲調呢，其實嗰個語氣係點樣嘅呢，“喳”？
(Yup, so I think if you find some very vivid and interesting examples that can help you remember them, that’s best. It’s like what you said before was right, by watching dramas, TV, or programs, listening more, you’ll get a feel for them. One last thing, to return to zaa3, we can also change it to the fourth tone. If you still remember, two [explanation] episodes ago, when we first started talking about the relationship between tone and SFPs, Cameron, do you remember? If we change to the fourth tone from zaa3 to zaa4, with zaa4 as the lowest tone, what sort of meaning does that convey?)
Cameron: It is more of a rhetorical question feel.
Raymond: 係。
(Yes.)
Cameron: And actually this one I learned, a friend taught me the difference between “zaa3” and “zaa4”, with a very concrete example.
Raymond: 係。
(Yes.)
Cameron: She said, let's pretend you have two people, and one of them just got a new luxury handbag, and she’s very proud of the price she got it for, so her friend, is like, “Oh, so what was the discount?” She says, “Oh, you know, 10% off, 九折嘅,” and the friend says, “Uh, 九折喳?” like, “Only ten percent off?” Implying, “That's not much of a discount, I could have gotten a better price.”
Raymond: 係，你呢個都，即係好活靈活現41呀。係啦，即係呢個好不屑42噉樣話，即係“你好叻咩，我仲犀利啲啦，你噉就話好犀利嗱？喳？”噉樣呢都係嗰個原理啦，第四聲呢，我哋都話你個聲調越低呢，其實你嗰個肯定43嘅程度越高嘅。即係我更加有一個肯定嘅答案，我知道你冇我咁犀利嘅喇噉樣，“喳”。噉你噉就話好叻，嗱我犀利過好多、犀利過你好多呀，噉樣。噉呀“你得個一千蚊喳？”噉呢個係一個反問句44啦噉樣。另外啦譬如我哋除咗講錢之外呢，呢個容易啲理解啦，時間啦，例如我以爲而家11點，“吓？原來而家十點喳？”噉樣。比我想像中早喎噉樣，所以都可以。
(Yeah, this is also incredibly lifelike. Yes, it goes with a sense of disdain, like, “You’re so great, I’m even greater, but you’re saying you’re amazing? Really?” It’s the same principle, where we have an even surer response, where I know you’re not as great as me. This also follows that principle with the fourth tone, where the lower your tone is, the greater the degree of certainty. Like I have a very definite response, I know you aren’t as great as me. So, “You got it for only a thousand?” This is a rhetorical question. Also, besides talking about money, this is even easier to understand, it works for time, like if I think it’s 11 o’clock now and go, “Huh, it’s actually only 10 o’clock?” Like this, it’s earlier than I thought it was, this also works.)
Cameron: 嗯。
(Ah.)
Raymond: 噉所以我覺得呢四個其實都唔難理解，你總之明白咗佢嗰個，其實四個都係同，即係少，比你想像中少嗰個嘅意思有關聯45啦，噉就幫到你理解囉。
(So I think these four aren’t difficult to understand. In brief, you got that they really all four have the same meaning, relating to being a little, being less than you imagined, that can help you understanding.)
Cameron: Yeah I think, I think this is a great summary of them. And I think now I wanna, you know, go out and have more opportunities to differentiate between them, especially the sarcastic ones, because those are my favorite, that's my favorite way to speak.
Raymond: 係啦，我都話啦呢四個係好容易嘅啫。
(Yup, I always say these four are quite easy.)