jim4 ho1嚴苛严苛
Jyutpingjim4 ho1
Yaleyìhm hō
Definition
Harsh, severe, and demanding; uninhabitable or extreme.
- uninhabitable, extreme, or harsh of environment
- harsh, severe, and demanding of rules or treatment
writtendescriptionsnature
How it's used
Focuses primarily on environmental or systemic conditions rather than interpersonal behavior. While it can describe a person's attitude, it is much more frequently used to characterize extreme climates, difficult working conditions, or rigid, unforgiving rules. It carries a sense of being physically or mentally draining due to a lack of resources or flexibility.
Examples
The weather is so harsh here, how can we grow anything?
They managed to survive even under such harsh conditions.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe a person who is simply strict or mean, as that is better expressed by 嚴厲 or 刻薄. Using it for a person might sound overly formal or imply that their personality is as destructive as a natural disaster.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
