cuk1齪龊
Jyutpingcuk1
Yalechūk
Definition
Dirty, narrow-minded, or small; also can mean to reorganize or be cautious.
- dirty; base; narrow-minded
- small; petty; cautious
- to reorganize; to arrange
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Primarily used to describe someone who is petty, stingy, or lacks broad-mindedness in their character. It carries a negative connotation, suggesting that the person is focused on small, insignificant details rather than the bigger picture. While it can technically refer to physical dirtiness in literary contexts, in modern spoken Cantonese, it is almost exclusively reserved for personality traits.
Examples
He is very petty and always dwells on trivial matters.
Don't be so narrow-minded, try to be more generous.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 齷齪, which is a common two-character compound used to describe someone who is morally corrupt or physically filthy. Using 齪 alone is acceptable in speech, but it is often perceived as a shortened or less formal version of the full term.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
