baan6 ceon2扮蠢
Jyutpingbaan6 ceon2
Yalebaahn chéun
Definition
To play dumb, pretend to be stupid, or feign ignorance.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Carries a strong sense of insincerity or manipulation, often implying that the person is actually quite clever but is hiding their true intentions. It is frequently used when someone is trying to avoid responsibility or feigning lack of knowledge to get out of a task. Unlike simply being slow, this expression highlights a conscious performance.
Examples
Stop playing dumb here, I know you understand.
He always acts stupid to trick people, it is really annoying.
Related words
Common phrases
to play dumb to deceive others
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with being genuinely slow or unintelligent, as the term specifically describes a deliberate act of deception. Using it to describe someone who is truly struggling with a task can be highly offensive.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
