ban2稟禀
Jyutpingban2
Yalebán
Definition
To report to a superior, or to accuse and report someone to authority figures like teachers or police.
- datedto report to a superior or elder
- to accuse or report someone to an authority figure
- literaryto receive natural endowment or instructions
writtenworkcommunication
How it's used
This term carries a formal or bureaucratic weight, often implying a hierarchical relationship where someone reports to a person of higher status. It is rarely used in casual daily conversation and is mostly encountered in workplace settings, legal contexts, or when describing official procedures. Using it in a casual social setting can sound overly dramatic or archaic.
Examples
He has reported it upwards and is waiting for instructions from the top.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with general reporting verbs like 講 or 匯報, but 稟 specifically implies a formal petition or a report made to a superior. It is not used for casual updates between friends or colleagues of equal rank.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
