hon5 wai6捍衞捍卫
Jyutpinghon5 wai6
Yalehóhn waih
Definition
To defend, guard, or protect something from harm or undermining.
neutralother
How it's used
This term carries a strong sense of duty and moral weight, often appearing in formal or serious contexts like political discourse, legal rights, or core values. Unlike simpler verbs for protection, it implies an active, sometimes combative stance against an external threat or challenge. It is rarely used for protecting physical objects or people in a casual sense, where words like 保護 are much more natural.
Examples
We must defend our own rights.
How do you defend such an important principle?
Related words
Common phrases
to defend rights
to defend freedom
to defend dignity
Common mistake
Learners often use this word for everyday protection, such as protecting a child or a physical item, which sounds overly dramatic or unnatural. Stick to using it for abstract concepts like rights, freedom, or principles.
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).
