jyun1 lai6冤厲冤厉
Jyutpingjyun1 lai6
Yaleyūn laih
Definition
Full of hatred and malice because of an injustice, typically describing ghosts or spirits in horror stories.
colloquialother
How it's used
This term is almost exclusively reserved for the context of supernatural folklore and ghost stories. It describes a spirit that remains in the world of the living specifically because they were wronged or murdered and seek retribution. You will rarely hear this used in casual daily conversation unless you are discussing horror movies or local urban legends.
Examples
They died a tragic death and turned into a vengeful spirit.
I heard a vengeful spirit haunts that place, it is so terrifying.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with general terms for ghosts like 鬼 or 冤魂, as 冤厲 specifically emphasizes the malicious, vengeful, and dangerous nature of the spirit rather than just their state of being dead.
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.
