ci5 sai3 hei1 jan4恃勢欺人恃势欺人
Jyutpingci5 sai3 hei1 jan4
Yalechíh sai hēi yàhn
Definition
To use one's power, position, or influence to bully and oppress others.
colloquialpeopleemotion
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong negative moral judgment and is used to criticize someone who uses their status, wealth, or connections to suppress those with less power. It is often used in formal complaints or serious discussions about workplace or social injustice. Unlike simple bullying, it specifically highlights the imbalance of power as the source of the aggression.
Examples
He is always bullying others with his power, it is really annoying.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for general bullying, but it specifically requires the perpetrator to be leveraging an external advantage or position of power. It is not appropriate for describing a simple physical fight between equals.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
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Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
