ho1 zaak3苛責苛责
Jyutpingho1 zaak3
Yalehō jaak
Definition
To criticize harshly or severely.
writtenworkpeople
How it's used
Carries a formal and serious tone that is rarely used in casual, everyday conversation. It implies a sense of unfairness or excessive severity in the way someone is being reprimanded. While it is a standard term in written Chinese, it sounds quite stiff or literary when spoken aloud in Hong Kong.
Examples
He is always criticizing his subordinates harshly, making everyone feel very stressed.
Is it too much to criticize someone harshly just for making a small mistake?
Related words
Common phrases
harshly criticize employees
harshly criticize subordinates
Common mistake
Avoid using this in casual settings with friends or family, as it sounds overly academic or dramatic. For daily situations, use 鬧 or 責備 instead.
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.
