dou1 gwong1 gim3 jeng2刀光劍影刀光剑影
Jyutpingdou1 gwong1 gim3 jeng2
Yaledōu gwōng gim yéng
Definition
A very dangerous, violent, or hostile situation.
colloquialdescriptionsemotion
How it's used
Used to describe intense rivalry, heated arguments, or high-stakes environments where people are metaphorically attacking one another. It carries a dramatic flair and is often employed to exaggerate the tension in a workplace or social setting. While it evokes imagery of physical combat, it is almost exclusively used for non-physical, psychological, or verbal conflict.
Examples
This negotiation is literally a battlefield.
Are you two always at each other's throats when you meet?
Related words
Common phrases
full of tension and rivalry
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe actual physical violence or a crime scene, as it is a metaphorical idiom for tension and rivalry rather than a literal report of assault.
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.
