V+入

1. Basic Function and Direction
The word 入 (jap6) can function as a standalone verb meaning 'to enter' (e.g., 入房 jap6 fong2 - 'enter the room') or 'to put into/insert' (e.g., 入錢 jap6 cin2 - 'insert money', where cin2 is the colloquial changed tone for cin4; 入油 jap6 jau4 - 'pump gas'). As a verbal particle, it specifies movement crossing a boundary into a room, container, vehicle, or defined area. It attaches directly to motion verbs such as 行 (haang4, walk), 走 (zau2, run), 搬 (bun1, move), or 塞 (sak1, stuff/squeeze).

2. Adding Deictic Direction (嚟 / 去)
To show direction relative to the speaker, combine 入 with 嚟 (lei4) (toward the speaker) or 去 (heoi3) (away from the speaker):

• V + 入嚟: Come in (e.g., 行入嚟 haang4 jap6 lei4 - 'walk in toward me')
• V + 入去: Go in (e.g., 行入去 haang4 jap6 heoi3 - 'walk in away from me')

3. Word Order with Locations and Objects

• With Location: When a location noun is included, the most natural colloquial structure is to place the location after the full directional compound: V + 入嚟/入去 + Location (e.g., 行入去間房度 haang4 jap6 heoi3 gaan1 fong2 dou6 - 'walk into the room away from me'). You can also simply omit 嚟/去 (e.g., 行入房 haang4 jap6 fong2). Unlike Mandarin, placing the location between 入 and 嚟/去 (e.g., 行入房去 haang4 jap6 fong2 heoi3) is ungrammatical in Cantonese. Note that for generally returning home, Cantonese simply uses 返 (faan1, return) as in 返屋企 (faan1 uk1 kei2). Adding 入 to make it 返入屋企 (faan1 jap6 uk1 kei2) specifically emphasizes the physical movement of going back inside the house (e.g., stepping indoors from the garden).
• Using Locative Particles: Notice the use of 度 (dou6) in the example above. Spatial nouns do not strictly require a locative suffix like 度 or 裡面 to function as a destination after directional verbs like 入. Native speakers frequently drop the locative suffix (e.g., 行入間房 haang4 jap6 gaan1 fong2 is just as natural as 行入間房度 haang4 jap6 gaan1 fong2 dou6). However, human or animate nouns strictly require the locative suffix 度 (dou6) to become a destination. Note that you cannot use 入 with a human destination (e.g., 行入我度 haang4 jap6 ngo5 dou6 sounds like a ghost possessing someone's body!). To express moving towards a person, you must use the directional particle 埋 (maai4) instead (e.g., 行埋我度 haang4 maai4 ngo5 dou6 - 'walk over to me').
• With Objects: The most natural colloquial way to handle objects is V + Object + 入 + Location (e.g., 塞啲衫入個箱度 sak1 di1 saam1 jap6 go3 soeng1 dou6 - 'stuff the clothes into the box'). If you also need to include a deictic direction (嚟/去), the structure becomes V + Object + 入去/入嚟 + Location (e.g., 搬張檯入去間房度 bun1 zoeng1 toi2 jap6 heoi3 gaan1 fong2 dou6 - 'move the table into the room away from me'). When there is a direct object but no specific location, you have two options. You can place the object before the directional complement: V + Object + 入 + 嚟/去 (e.g., 搬張檯入嚟 bun1 zoeng1 toi2 jap6 lei4 - 'move the table in [toward me]'). Alternatively, you can place the object after the full compound: V + 入嚟/去 + Object (e.g., 攞入嚟本書 lo2 jap6 lei4 bun2 syu1 - 'bring the book in'). You can also use the 將 (zoeng1) or 攞 (lo2) disposal construction: 將/攞 [Object] + V + 入(去/嚟) + Location (e.g., 將啲衫塞入個箱度 zoeng1 di1 saam1 sak1 jap6 go3 soeng1 dou6 / 攞啲衫塞入個箱度 lo2 di1 saam1 sak1 jap6 go3 soeng1 dou6).
• Overlap with 落 (lok6): When talking about putting objects into containers or accounts, native speakers frequently use 落 (lok6) instead of or alongside 入 (e.g., 擺落個袋度 baai2 lok6 go3 doi2 dou6 - 'put into the bag'; 入落戶口 jap6 lok6 wu6 hau2 - 'deposit into an account').

4. Aspect Markers
When using aspect markers with directional compounds, the progressive marker 緊 (gan2) strictly attaches to the main verb (e.g., 行緊入去 haang4 gan2 jap6 heoi3). However, the perfective marker 咗 (zo2) can be placed either immediately after the main verb (e.g., 行咗入去 haang4 zo2 jap6 heoi3) OR after the first directional particle (e.g., 行入咗去 haang4 jap6 zo2 heoi3). Both are standard in Cantonese.

5. Potential Forms (Fitting inside)
To express physical ability or inability to fit into a space, insert 得 (dak1) or 唔 (m4) between the verb and 入:

• V + 得 + 入: Can fit in (e.g., 塞得入 sak1 dak1 jap6)
• V + 唔 + 入: Cannot fit in (e.g., 塞唔入 sak1 m4 jap6)

6. Abstract and Figurative Uses
Beyond physical motion, 入 extends to entry into institutions (e.g., 考入大學 haau2 jap6 daai6 hok6 - 'pass exam to get into university') and core metaphorical uses like 入腦 (jap6 nou5 - 'to memorize/absorb'), 入數 (jap6 sou3 - 'to deposit money'), and 入耳 (jap6 ji5 - 'pleasing to the ear').