hou3 sing3好勝好胜
Jyutpinghou3 sing3
Yalehou sing
Definition
Eager to win; loving to excel or outdo others.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
Describes a personality trait where someone feels a constant, often intense, need to prove they are better than others. While it can imply ambition, it frequently carries a negative connotation of being unable to accept defeat or being overly aggressive in social or professional settings. It is often used to explain why someone might be difficult to work or play with.
Examples
He is so competitive that he refuses to lose even when playing games.
Don't be so eager to outdo others; constantly comparing yourself to people is exhausting.
Related words
Common phrases
competitive spirit
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 勤力, which means hardworking. Being 好勝 focuses on the desire to defeat or surpass others, whereas 勤力 focuses on the effort put into a task regardless of the outcome.
Grammar color guide
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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).
