coi4 ding6裁定
Jyutpingcoi4 ding6
Yalechòih dihng
Definition
To rule, make an official decision, or arrive at a verdict.
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How it's used
Reserved for formal or legal contexts, this term carries a sense of finality and authority that ordinary decision making lacks. It is almost exclusively used when a judge, arbitrator, or official body settles a dispute or determines a legal status. You will rarely hear it in casual conversation unless discussing news, court cases, or formal institutional policies.
Examples
The judge ruled that the defendant is guilty.
The court finally ruled that they have to pay compensation.
Related words
Common phrases
the court ruled
to rule that the charge is proven
Common mistake
Avoid using this for personal choices or everyday decisions, as it sounds overly dramatic and stiff. For simple decisions or conclusions, use 決定 instead.
Grammar color guide
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Verb
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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).
