coeng1 kyut3猖獗
Jyutpingcoeng1 kyut3
Yalechēung kyut
Definition
Rampant, out of control, or highly visible and unstoppable.
writtendescriptions
How it's used
Describes negative phenomena that are spreading uncontrollably or acting with total disregard for rules. It carries a formal weight, often appearing in news reports or serious discussions about social issues like crime or disease. Using it in casual conversation can sound overly dramatic or like you are quoting a newspaper headline.
Examples
Crime has been rampant in that district lately.
Why have scams become so rampant?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a general word for 'busy' or 'active', but it specifically implies a harmful or illegal activity that is out of control.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
