bok3 zeoi2駁咀驳咀
Jyutpingbok3 zeoi2
Yalebok jéui
Definition
To talk back to one's elders, superiors, or authorities when being scolded.
colloquialpeoplecommunication
How it's used
Carries a strong negative connotation of being disrespectful or defiant toward authority figures. It is almost exclusively used when a child talks back to a parent or a subordinate challenges a superior in a way that is perceived as insubordinate. Using this term implies that the speaker believes the person being addressed has no right to challenge the criticism they are receiving.
Examples
Children shouldn't talk back, be obedient.
Related words
Common phrases
to keep talking back persistently
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with general arguing or debating, which would be 嗌交. 駁咀 specifically requires a power imbalance where the person talking back is expected to remain silent or submissive.
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.
