ceoi1 caan4摧殘摧残
Jyutpingceoi1 caan4
Yalechēui chàahn
Definition
To destroy, devastate, or ruin, especially something fragile or not strong to begin with.
neutralhealthnature
How it's used
Focuses on the gradual wearing down or abuse of something fragile, rather than a sudden, explosive destruction. It is frequently used in contexts involving health, youth, or delicate natural objects that lose their vitality over time.
Examples
Staying up late for a long time really wreaks havoc on your health.
Related words
Common phrases
to ruin one's health
to devastate the spirit
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe the demolition of buildings or large-scale physical structures, as it implies a sense of cruelty or neglect towards living or sensitive things.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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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).
