baa3 dou6霸道
Jyutpingbaa3 dou6
Yaleba douh
Definition
Overbearing, domineering, and high-handed; insisting on having one's own way without listening to reason.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Describes someone who insists on having their own way and disregards the feelings or rights of others. It carries a strong negative connotation of being unreasonable and controlling. While it can describe a person's personality, it is also frequently used to label specific actions or decisions that are perceived as unfair or forced.
Examples
Don't be so overbearing, you need to listen to others' opinions first.
He is usually very domineering and always forces people to do what he wants.
Related words
Common phrases
overbearing personality
high-handed behavior
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Mandarin usage where it can sometimes describe a 'dominant' or 'cool' personality in romantic fiction or pop culture. In Cantonese, it is almost exclusively used to criticize someone for being selfish and unreasonable.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
