ging1 gik1荊棘荆棘
Jyutpingging1 gik1
Yalegīng gīk
Definition
Thorns, or figuratively, difficulties and hardships.
- thorns; a thorny shrub
- figurativedifficulties; hardships; obstacles
neutralnaturedescriptions
How it's used
Used primarily in formal writing or metaphorical contexts to describe obstacles in life or career paths. While it literally refers to thorny plants, it is most frequently encountered in idioms like 荊棘滿途 to describe a challenging journey. It carries a literary weight that makes it sound quite serious compared to everyday words like 困難 or 麻煩.
Examples
This path is full of thorns, you need to walk carefully.
The process of starting a business is full of hardships, are you ready?
Related words
Common phrases
a journey full of hardships
to overcome obstacles
Common mistake
Do not use this word to describe a simple physical prick from a rose or a small splinter. It refers to a thicket of thorns or a metaphorical obstacle, so it sounds overly dramatic if used for minor physical discomforts.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
