hung2 geoi6 zing3恐懼症恐惧症
Jyutpinghung2 geoi6 zing3
Yalehúng geuih jing
Definition
Phobia; an extreme, uncontrollable, and irrational fear of a specific object or situation.
neutralhealthemotion
How it's used
This term is primarily used in formal or clinical contexts to describe a recognized psychological condition. When people talk about everyday fears in casual conversation, they often use the verb 驚 instead of referencing a specific phobia. It is almost always paired with a prefix that specifies the object of the fear, such as 社交 or 幽閉.
Examples
He has severe claustrophobia and is afraid to take the elevator.
Do you have social phobia? Why don't you come out and hang out?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this term to describe simple dislikes or mild discomfort. It is reserved for intense, irrational fears that significantly impact daily functioning, rather than just saying you do not like something.
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).
