gu3痼
Jyutpinggu3
Yalegu
Definition
Chronic or long-standing; referring to a persistent illness or deep-rooted habit.
- chronic; long-standing; deep-rooted
- literarychronic or obstinate disease
writtenhealth
How it's used
Refers specifically to long term, deep seated health issues that are difficult to resolve. It is almost exclusively used in the compound 痼疾 to describe a persistent ailment or a metaphorical deep rooted problem. You will rarely hear the single character 痼 used alone in modern speech.
Examples
He has some chronic illnesses and is always feeling unwell.
Related words
Common phrases
chronic disease or deep rooted problem
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 固 which means firm or solid. While they share a similar sound in some contexts, 痼 is strictly reserved for medical or metaphorical chronic conditions.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
