jin4 ming4賢明贤明
Jyutpingjin4 ming4
Yaleyìhn mìhng
Definition
Wise, sensible, and sagacious, especially of a leader.
writtenpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Reserved almost exclusively for formal contexts or when discussing leadership and governance. It carries a sense of gravitas and respect that makes it sound unnatural when applied to everyday, trivial decision making. Use 醒目 or 精明 instead if you want to describe someone who is simply clever or sharp in daily life.
Examples
He is truly wise, showing great foresight in handling this matter.
Do you think this newly appointed manager is wise or not?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use this to describe someone who is just smart or quick-witted, but it specifically implies a depth of wisdom and sound judgment that goes beyond mere intelligence.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
