bou3 jing3報應报应
Jyutpingbou3 jing3
Yalebou ying
Definition
Retribution or punishment for one's evil deeds; bad karma.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
This term carries a strong sense of moral justice and is often used as a warning to someone who behaves unethically. It implies that negative consequences are not just random bad luck but a direct result of past misdeeds. While it can have a religious connotation, it is frequently used in secular contexts to express the belief that people eventually pay for their actions.
Examples
You have done so many bad things; sooner or later you will face retribution.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this word to describe simple accidents or misfortune that are not linked to someone's bad behavior, as it specifically implies a causal link between wrongdoing and punishment.
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.
