jam1 duk6陰毒阴毒
Jyutpingjam1 duk6
Yaleyām duhk
Definition
Insidious, sinister, and ruthless.
colloquialdescriptionspeople
How it's used
This term describes someone who is not just mean, but calculated and underhanded in their malice. It implies a hidden, snake-like quality where the person smiles to your face while plotting your downfall. Unlike simply being mean or angry, it carries a sense of deep-seated, strategic cruelty.
Examples
He is such a sinister person, always playing dirty tricks behind people's backs.
Related words
Common phrases
underhanded and ruthless methods
having a sinister heart
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 惡 which just means fierce or mean. Using 陰毒 to describe a loud, aggressive person is incorrect because it specifically highlights the hidden and treacherous nature of the behavior.
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.
