hon2捍
Jyutpinghon2
Yalehón
Definition
To ward off, resist, or defend against something.
writtenother
How it's used
Used almost exclusively in the formal compound 捍衞, this character functions as a morpheme rather than a standalone verb in modern spoken Cantonese. It carries a strong sense of protecting something abstract, such as principles, rights, or territory, rather than physical objects. You will rarely hear it outside of news reports, political discourse, or formal speeches.
Examples
We must defend our own rights.
How does he defend this position?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for the common verb 擋, which is used for physically blocking or stopping something. Using 捍 in casual conversation to mean blocking a door or a ball will sound unnatural and overly literary.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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).
