particle
mah
mah
particle
1
A sentence-final particle (used in some varieties of English influenced by Cantonese) implying something is obvious.
"Of course it's closed, it's Sunday mah!"
2
A sentence-final particle turning a statement into a yes-or-no question.
"You're coming tonight mah?"
name
1
A surname of Chinese origin.
"Mah is a common Cantonese surname."
How to Use Mah
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA colloquial tag word borrowed into English from Cantonese, used to soften a statement or turn it into a question.
When to use it
Informal and regional — found mainly in Singaporean, Malaysian, and Hong Kong English.
Word Forms
Mahs plural
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Of course it's closed, it's Sunday _____!
Etymology
Adapted from Cantonese 嘛 (maa3), a similar sentence-final particle.