fong1 zoeng6方丈
Jyutpingfong1 zoeng6
Yalefōng jeuhng
Definition
The abbot of a Buddhist temple who also serves as a teacher.
colloquialpeople
How it's used
Beyond its literal religious meaning, this term is frequently used in Hong Kong pop culture as a humorous way to describe a person who is narrow-minded or prone to holding grudges. It stems from a famous line in a Stephen Chow movie, where a character claims to be the abbot but acts petty. Using it in this sarcastic sense is common among friends but should be avoided in formal or respectful contexts.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
I heard the abbot of this temple is very spiritually accomplished.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this word to describe a regular monk or a layperson unless you are intentionally making the sarcastic reference to someone being petty.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
