coeng4戕

Jyutpingcoeng4

Yalechèuhng

動詞

Definition

To kill or murder.

writtenother

How it's used

This character is strictly literary and formal, appearing almost exclusively in written contexts or formal speech. It carries a heavy, violent nuance that goes beyond simple killing, often implying the destruction or crippling of something abstract like potential, health, or innocence. You will rarely hear it in casual daily conversation, where words like 殺 or 害 are used instead.

Examples

keoi5佢dei6哋m4唔ho2可ji5以coeng4戕hoi6害mou4無gu1辜ge3嘅sang1生ming6命。

They cannot kill innocent lives.

le1呢zung3種hang4行wai4為gaan2簡zik6直hai6係coeng4戕hoi6害gan2緊haa6下jat1一doi6代。

This kind of behavior is simply harming the next generation.

Related words

synonymsaat3殺satsynonymhoi6害hoih

Common phrases

zi6自coeng4戕

to commit suicide

coeng4戕hoi6害

to kill or damage

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a common verb, but using it in casual speech will sound extremely unnatural or overly dramatic. It is primarily found in compound words like 自戕 or 戕害 rather than as a standalone verb in modern sentences.