咋 (zaa4)

Really Only That Much?

Level 3Sounds Like zaa3

Use 咋 (zaa4) at the end of a sentence to express surprise at a small amount or limited scope, asking 'Is that really all?' or 'Only that much?' either rhetorically or for confirmation.

How It Works

The Sentence-Final Particle (SFP) 咋 (zaa4) is a powerful tool for expressing emotional reaction to quantities or limited scopes in Cantonese. While English uses tone of voice or extra words like 'really only,' Cantonese embeds this entire feeling into a single particle.

1. The 'Fused' Nature
Linguistically, 咋 (zaa4) is the result of merging the limiting particle 啫 (ze1) (meaning 'only') and the question particle 呀 (aa4). Because it contains a question element, it often seeks confirmation, though it is frequently used rhetorically to express personal shock or sarcasm where no verbal response is required.

2. When to Use It
It is primarily used at the end of sentences that involve numbers, time, or amounts, but it can also apply to any limited scope (such as a single location or activity). It is most natural when the speaker expected more and is shocked by the reality. It often follows the verb 得 (dak1), which also means 'only' in the context of quantity.

3. The 'Double Exclusive' Pattern
A core feature of Cantonese grammar is the 'Double Exclusive' (Only Concord) pattern, where 咋 (zaa4) is paired with the adverb 淨係 (zing6 hai6, 'only'). This doubling of exclusive words (e.g., 淨係...咋) strongly emphasizes the limitation and the speaker's surprise.

4. Tone and Writing
Cantonese learners must distinguish between the mid-level tone zaa3 (a statement: 'It's just three.') and the low-falling tone zaa4 (a surprised question: 'Is it really just three?!'). Both are universally written as 咋. While you might occasionally see informal sound variants like 喳, it is best to stick to 咋 as the standard character for both tones.

Examples (5)

  1. 仲有三個咋？

    There are only three left? (I thought there were more!)

    Word by Word: still have three [classifier] [only-question]?

    Here, 咋 (zaa4) shows the speaker is surprised that the remaining number is as low as three.

  2. 你得十蚊咋？

    You only have ten dollars? (That's not enough!)

    Word by Word: you only-have ten dollars [only-question]?

    Using 咋 (zaa4) implies the speaker expected the person to have more money.

  3. 佢嚟咗兩日咋？

    He's only been here for two days? (I thought he'd been here longer.)

    Word by Word: he come [perfective] two days [only-question]?

    This expresses surprise at the short duration of time.

  4. 得咁少咋？

    Is there really only this little?

    Word by Word: only-have so little [only-question]?

    This is a very common way to react to a small portion of food or a small amount of work.

  5. 你淨係得三個咋？

    You ONLY have three?!

    Word by Word: you only only-have three [classifier] [only-question]?

    This demonstrates the 'Double Exclusive' pattern, pairing 淨係 (zing6 hai6) with 咋 (zaa4) for extra emphasis.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the wrong tone (zaa3 instead of zaa4) for questions.

    你得一個咋 (zaa3)?
    你得一個咋 (zaa4)?

    Using tone 3 (zaa3) makes it a statement ('You only have one'). To ask the surprised question 'You only have one?!', you must use tone 4 (zaa4).

  • Using 咋 (zaa4) when you mean the amount is large.

    Different Meaning佢有一百萬咋？
    佢有一百萬咁多呀？

    佢有一百萬咋？ is a real sentence: 咋 means 'only', so it says 'He only has a million?', which suits a very rich person. To show surprise that the amount is large, use 咁多呀 (gam3 do1 aa4) as in 佢有一百萬咁多呀？

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

咋 (zaa4)Level 3Really Only That Much?

Learn This First

The particle 咋 (zaa4) is a fusion of the 'only' particle 啫 (ze1) and the questioning particle 呀 (aa4). To understand it, learners need to be familiar with how Cantonese expresses 'only' and how it uses sentence-final particles to turn statements into surprised or doubting questions.

Words in This Pattern