bun6 gwok3叛國叛国
Jyutpingbun6 gwok3
Yalebuhn gwok
Definition
To commit treason; to betray one's own country.
writtenother
How it's used
This term carries a heavy, formal weight and is almost exclusively reserved for serious political or legal contexts. Unlike everyday betrayals, it implies a fundamental violation of loyalty to one's sovereign state or government. It is rarely used in casual conversation unless discussing history, espionage, or extreme political scenarios.
Examples
He actually committed treason for money, he really has no conscience.
Who would want to live the rest of their life with the stigma of treason?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with general betrayal or disloyalty, which would be better expressed using 背叛. Using 叛國 to describe a friend who broke a promise or a partner who cheated sounds absurdly dramatic and incorrect.
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.
