cau4遒
Jyutpingcau4
Yalechàuh
Definition
Strong, robust, and unyielding; or to come to an end.
- strong; robust; unyielding
- to come to an end
colloquialdescriptionspeople
How it's used
While historically meaning strong or robust, in contemporary spoken Cantonese, this term is almost exclusively used to describe someone who is stubborn, unyielding, or difficult to reason with. It carries a slightly negative connotation, implying that the person is rigid in their ways. It is rarely used in its original sense of physical strength in daily conversation.
Examples
He is very stubborn and won't listen no matter how you persuade him.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this word to describe physical strength, as native speakers will likely interpret it as stubbornness. For physical toughness or durability, use words like 硬淨 instead.
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.
