cau2 lau6 dik1 zung1 gwok3 jan4醜陋的中國人丑陋的中国人
Jyutpingcau2 lau6 dik1 zung1 gwok3 jan4
Yalecháu lauh dīk jūng gwok yàhn
Definition
"The Ugly Chinaman", a well-known book by the Taiwanese writer Bo Yang.
writtenother
How it's used
This title refers specifically to the controversial essay collection by Bo Yang, which critiques traditional Chinese culture and societal flaws. It is almost exclusively used when discussing this specific literary work or its cultural impact in Hong Kong. Using this phrase outside of a discussion about the book can be perceived as highly offensive or politically charged.
Measure word
bun2本búnExamples
Have you read The Ugly Chinaman yet?
The book The Ugly Chinaman is very famous.
Common phrases
read The Ugly Chinaman
Common mistake
Learners should avoid using this phrase as a general descriptor for people, as it is not a common idiom but a specific book title. Applying it to individuals will likely be interpreted as a severe personal insult rather than a literary reference.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
