giu2 cing4矯情矫情
Jyutpinggiu2 cing4
Yalegíu chìhng
Definition
Affected, artificial, or unnatural in behavior or expression.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Describes someone who is deliberately acting in a way that feels insincere or overly dramatic to gain attention or project a specific image. It carries a strong sense of disapproval, implying that the person is being fake or trying too hard to seem sophisticated or sensitive. While it can apply to speech, it is frequently used to critique someone's overall personality or social performance.
Examples
The way they speak is so affected, it sounds very unnatural.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with being simply shy or reserved, but it specifically implies a performative, artificial quality. Do not use it to describe someone who is just quiet or introverted.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
