gung1躬
Jyutpinggung1
Yalegūng
Definition
To bend the body forward; to bow.
neutraldaily actionspeople
How it's used
This character is almost exclusively used in the compound 鞠躬 in modern Cantonese. While the character itself implies bending the body, it is rarely used as a standalone verb in daily speech. It carries a formal or respectful tone associated with traditional etiquette or ceremonial settings.
Examples
He is very polite and bows immediately when he sees his elders.
Related words
Common phrases
to bow
Common mistake
Learners often mistake 躬 for a general verb for bending, but it is restricted to the act of bowing as a sign of respect. For bending the body or waist in other contexts, use 彎腰 instead.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
