baa3 wong4 ngaang6 soeng5 gung1霸王硬上弓

Jyutpingbaa3 wong4 ngaang6 soeng5 gung1

Yaleba wòhng ngaahng séuhng gūng

Definition

To force oneself upon someone, or to force through a difficult task against someone's will.

figurativeto force oneself upon someone; to commit sexual assault
figurativeto push through and force something to happen against others' will

colloquialpeopleother

How it's used

Originally referring to sexual assault, this idiom has expanded to describe any situation where someone forces an outcome against another person's will. It carries a strong negative connotation of aggression and lack of respect for boundaries. You will often hear it used metaphorically in workplace or social contexts to describe someone pushing a decision or a deal without consensus.

Examples

keoi5佢soeng2想baa3霸wong4王ngaang6硬soeng5上gung1弓，zik1即hak1刻bei2畀jan4人gon2趕zau2走zo2咗。

He tried to force himself on her and was kicked out immediately.

zou6做saang1生ji3意m4唔hou2好baa3霸wong4王ngaang6硬soeng5上gung1弓，jiu3要gong2講kau4求nei5你cing4情ngo5我jyun6願。

Don't force a business deal; it should be based on mutual consent.

Common phrases

soeng2想baa3霸wong4王ngaang6硬soeng5上gung1弓

to intend to force one's will

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a literal description of archery or historical combat, but it is purely idiomatic and almost always implies a violation of personal agency or social norms.