gwaan1

Jyutpinggwaan1
Yalegwāan
名詞Common

Definition

A difficult situation, hurdle, or a stage in a video game.

  1. a difficult situation, crisis, or hurdle
  2. a stage, level, or checkpoint in a video game

Example

gwaan1zo2mun4

The door is closed.

colloquialother

How it's used

Refers specifically to a hurdle or a critical stage in a process, often implying a sense of endurance or overcoming adversity. It is frequently paired with verbs like 捱 or 過 to emphasize the struggle of moving past a challenging period. Beyond abstract difficulties, it is also commonly used to describe levels or stages in video games.

Measure word

go3go

Examples

This difficult situation is really hard to get through.
How did you manage to get through this tough spot?

Common phrases

to get through this hurdle
to pass a level or overcome a challenge

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with the verb 關, which means to close or turn off. When used as a noun for a difficult situation, it almost always requires a measure word like 一 or 呢一 to specify the hurdle being discussed.

Grammar color guide

Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector