beng6 gaak3病革
Jyutpingbeng6 gaak3
Yalebehng gaak
Definition
To be critically ill or about to die of an illness.
writtenhealthpeople
How it's used
This term is formal and carries a heavy, somber tone, typically reserved for medical contexts or serious discussions about a patient's final moments. It is rarely used in casual daily chatter because it implies the situation has reached a point of no return. You will often encounter it in hospital settings or when family members are discussing a dire prognosis.
Examples
He is in critical condition, the doctor said we need to prepare for the funeral.
I heard he is at the critical stage of his illness, I wonder if there is still a chance to save him?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with general terms for being sick like 病咗, as 病革 specifically denotes the terminal or critical stage of an illness rather than just feeling unwell.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
