cou1 cung5 gung1 fu1粗重工夫

Jyutpingcou1 cung5 gung1 fu1

Yalechōu chúhng gūng fū

Definition

Hard physical work; heavy labor.

colloquialworkbody

How it's used

Refers specifically to manual labor that requires physical strength or endurance, such as lifting heavy objects or construction tasks. It carries a sense of sympathy or concern when spoken to someone, often used to advise against overexertion. While it implies physical strain, it is not typically used for mentally demanding or stressful office tasks.

Examples

ni1呢di1啲cou1粗cung5重gung1工fu1夫，wan2搵jan4人bong1幫sau2手hou2好di1啲。

It is better to find someone to help with this kind of heavy work.

nei5你san1身tai2體mei6未hou2好faan1返，m4唔hou2好zou6做gam3咁do1多cou1粗cung5重gung1工fu1夫aa4呀。

You have not recovered yet, do not do so much heavy labor.

Common phrases

zou6做cou1粗cung5重gung1工fu1夫

to do heavy labor

Common mistake

Learners often confuse this with general hard work like 辛苦工作, but 粗重工夫 is strictly for physical tasks. Using it to describe a difficult project or a long day at the office sounds unnatural to native speakers.