cing4懲惩
Jyutpingcing4
Yalechìhng
Definition
To punish, penalize, or discipline someone for an error to prevent them from repeating it.
writtenother
How it's used
This character is almost exclusively used in formal compound words like 懲罰 or 懲戒. It rarely functions as a standalone verb in spoken Cantonese, where people prefer using 罰 or 罰錢 instead. When you see it, expect a formal or legalistic context rather than casual conversation.
Examples
He did something wrong, we must punish him.
Do you know how severe the punishment is?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often try to use this as a standalone verb in daily speech, but it sounds unnatural or overly dramatic. Stick to 罰 when talking about everyday consequences like being fined or grounded.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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).
