gei3 jyu4覬覦觊觎
Jyutpinggei3 jyu4
Yalegei yùh
Definition
To covet or cast greedy eyes on something one is not entitled to.
writtenemotionpeople
How it's used
Carries a strong negative connotation, implying that the desire is greedy, inappropriate, or morally questionable. It is rarely used in casual, friendly conversation and appears more frequently in formal writing, news reports, or when describing someone's sinister intentions. Using it in everyday speech can make the speaker sound overly dramatic or literary.
Examples
He is always coveting someone else's position, hoping to take over.
Don't covet things that don't belong to you, it will cause a lot of trouble.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake it for a generic word for wanting something, like 想要 or 想要, but it specifically implies a sense of entitlement or envy toward something that is not yours.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
