fung1 soeng3封相
Jyutpingfung1 soeng3
Yalefūng seung
Definition
To be appointed or named as prime minister.
colloquialpeoplework
How it's used
Historically referring to the appointment of a high-ranking official in imperial China, this term is now used metaphorically to describe someone reaching the pinnacle of their career or gaining a position of immense power. It carries a slightly dramatic or grand tone, often used when discussing political figures or someone who has suddenly achieved a very high status.
Examples
He was finally named prime minister, and the whole village is very happy.
Do you think he has a chance to be named prime minister?
Related words
Common phrases
successfully appointed as prime minister
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Cantonese slang 封相, which can sometimes refer to the act of sealing a portrait or an ancestral tablet in traditional rituals. In modern political contexts, it is strictly about high-level appointments.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Adjective
Adverb
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Particle
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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.
