kei4 ci3 sin1 ming4旗幟鮮明旗帜鲜明
Jyutpingkei4 ci3 sin1 ming4
Yalekèih chi sīn mìhng
Definition
To have a clear-cut and unequivocal stance, position, or attitude.
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How it's used
This idiom is frequently used in political or formal commentary to describe someone who refuses to be ambiguous about their beliefs. While it is a four-character idiom, it fits naturally into spoken Cantonese when discussing serious topics or personal principles. It carries a slightly more serious or assertive tone than simply saying 好清楚.
Examples
His stance on this matter is very clear-cut.
Shouldn't you state your position clearly?
Related words
Common phrases
to have a clear-cut stance
to have an unequivocal attitude
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal description of a flag, but it is almost exclusively used metaphorically to describe a person's attitude or a political position. Avoid using it to describe physical objects like actual flags or clothing.
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.
