jing2 seoi1影衰
Jyutpingjing2 seoi1
Yaleyíng sēui
Definition
To bring shame on, disgrace, or reflect badly on a group through one's improper behavior.
colloquialpeopleemotion
How it's used
Refers specifically to the act of damaging the reputation of a group, organization, or family through one's own poor behavior. It carries a strong sense of collective responsibility, implying that the individual's actions are unfairly attributed to everyone they are associated with. It is frequently used in moments of frustration or when scolding someone for embarrassing their peers.
Examples
Don't act out while you're out, you'll bring shame on the whole family.
He did such things, it really brought shame on the entire department.
Related words
Common phrases
to bring total shame on
to bring shame on Hong Kong people
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply feeling embarrassed or losing face yourself, which is 丟臉. 影衰 is transitive and requires an object, specifically the group or person whose reputation is being tarnished.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
