faan4 lei4樊籬樊篱
Jyutpingfaan4 lei4
Yalefàahn lèih
Definition
A hedge, fence, barrier, or boundary.
- fence; hedge; barrier
- figurativerestrictions; boundaries
writtendescriptions
How it's used
Refers to metaphorical boundaries or constraints rather than a physical fence. It is a formal term often used in intellectual or social contexts to discuss limitations on thought or progress. You will rarely hear this in casual street conversation, as it carries a literary or academic weight.
Examples
We need to break through the barriers of tradition.
How did they overcome this barrier?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe a simple garden fence or a physical wall, as it sounds overly poetic or archaic in those contexts. Use 圍欄 for physical fences instead.
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.
