gung1 wai4恭維恭维
Jyutpinggung1 wai4
Yalegūng wàih
Definition
To flatter or praise someone in order to please them.
neutralpeoplecommunication
How it's used
Carries a negative connotation of insincerity or sycophancy, distinguishing it from genuine praise like 讚賞. It implies the speaker believes the compliments are calculated to gain favor rather than being earned. The phrase 不敢恭維 is a common fixed expression used to politely but firmly express a lack of respect or a low opinion of someone's performance or character.
Examples
You don't need to go out of your way to flatter me.
He is always sucking up to the boss, which is very annoying.
Related words
Common phrases
dare not to praise; to have a low opinion of
Common mistake
Avoid using this word to describe sincere compliments between friends, as it will sound like you are accusing them of being fake or manipulative.
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.
