cing1 gu1 dou6 gwaa2稱孤道寡称孤道寡
Jyutpingcing1 gu1 dou6 gwaa2
Yalechīng gū douh gwá
Definition
To call oneself a king or lord, or to act like an absolute ruler.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Originally referring to the self-referential pronouns used by ancient Chinese emperors, this idiom is now used sarcastically to describe someone who acts arrogant, bossy, or self-important. It carries a strong negative connotation of being dictatorial or treating others as subordinates. It is frequently applied to people in social or work settings who demand total compliance or act as if they are above everyone else.
Examples
He always acts like a little emperor, who would want to play with him?
Stop acting like you are the boss here, we are all equal.
Related words
Common phrases
likes to act like a little emperor
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe actual royalty or historical figures, as it is almost exclusively used as a critique of someone's overbearing personality in modern life.
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.
