fu6 jyu4 waan4 kong3負隅頑抗负隅顽抗
Jyutpingfu6 jyu4 waan4 kong3
Yalefuh yùh wàahn kong
Definition
To put up a last-ditch resistance from a position of defense, like a cornered beast.
writtenother
How it's used
This idiom is typically reserved for formal contexts like news reports or crime dramas, describing someone who refuses to give up despite being in a hopeless situation. It carries a strong sense of futility, implying that the resistance is doomed to fail. You will rarely hear this used in casual, everyday conversation between friends.
Examples
They are still putting up a last-ditch resistance and refuse to surrender.
Facing the police siege, the suspect still wants to put up a desperate struggle.
Related words
Common phrases
to resist desperately to the very end
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a general term for fighting back, but it specifically implies being cornered or trapped with no chance of victory. Using it to describe a normal argument or a healthy competition sounds overly dramatic and unnatural.
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.
