caam2 mou4 jan4 dou6慘無人道惨无人道
Jyutpingcaam2 mou4 jan4 dou6
Yalecháam mòuh yàhn douh
Definition
Extremely brutal and inhumane.
neutraldescriptionspeople
How it's used
This idiom carries a heavy, serious tone and is typically reserved for describing extreme cruelty, such as war crimes, torture, or severe animal abuse. It is much stronger than simply calling something mean or unfair. Using it for minor inconveniences or trivial matters will sound overly dramatic and sarcastic.
Examples
It is truly inhumane for them to treat the cat like that.
Society will absolutely not accept this kind of inhumane behavior.
Related words
Common phrases
inhumane behavior
brutal methods
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a general adjective for bad behavior. Avoid using it to describe everyday rudeness or poor service, as it specifically implies a violation of basic human rights or extreme moral depravity.
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.
