faan1 gung1翻工
Jyutpingfaan1 gung1
Yalefāan gūng
Definition
To rework; to redo work that was not done properly the first time.
colloquialwork
How it's used
While 翻工 is commonly used to mean 'to go to work' in most contexts, it can also mean 'to redo work' when referring to a specific task or project. Context is essential here, as the meaning depends entirely on whether you are talking about the act of commuting to your job or the act of correcting a previous output. It implies that the initial attempt was unsatisfactory and requires a second pass.
Examples
This report is not done well, you need to rework it.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 返工, which is the standard term for 'going to work'. Using 翻工 to mean 'going to work' is technically a common misspelling or character substitution, but in the context of 'rework', it is the correct character choice.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
