hau2 dak1口德
Jyutpinghau2 dak1
Yaleháu dāk
Definition
Virtue of the mouth, meaning a habit of refraining from speaking maliciously or gossiping.
colloquialpeopleemotion
How it's used
Refers to the moral practice of refraining from malicious gossip or verbal abuse. It is often used as a warning to someone who is being unnecessarily harsh or spiteful toward others. People frequently use the verb 積 to pair with it, implying that one should build up good karma through kind speech.
Examples
They are so mean usually, they really have no virtue in their speech.
Related words
Common phrases
to accumulate virtue in speech
to have no virtue in speech
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply being quiet or not talking. It specifically refers to the quality of one's speech and the avoidance of harmful or toxic language.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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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.
