jyu4愚
Jyutpingjyu4
Yaleyùh
Definition
Silly, foolish, or stupid.
writtendescriptions
How it's used
Unlike the everyday word 蠢, which is used constantly in casual speech, 愚 is a morpheme primarily found in formal, literary, or compound words. It carries a more serious or intellectual weight compared to the blunt, informal nature of 蠢. You will rarely hear it used as a standalone adjective in spoken Cantonese.
Examples
He is usually quite silly and gets tricked all the time.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often try to use 愚 as a direct replacement for 蠢 in casual conversation, but this sounds unnatural and overly formal. Stick to 蠢 or 笨 for daily life.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
