cung1 gung1充公
Jyutpingcung1 gung1
Yalechūng gūng
Definition
To confiscate; to seize illegal or rule-breaking items for public or official ownership.
neutralworkother
How it's used
Carries a formal and authoritative tone, typically used in legal, administrative, or disciplinary contexts. It implies that the items are being taken away by an official body or person in charge, rather than just being borrowed or stolen. It is common to see this word used when discussing police actions or school rules.
Examples
All the smuggled goods were confiscated by customs.
If you bring contraband to school again, I will have to confiscate it.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this for everyday borrowing or taking back personal items, as it specifically refers to the seizure of property due to rule-breaking or illegal activity.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
