kui2聵聩
Jyutpingkui2
Yalekúi
Definition
Deaf, or intellectually obtuse.
- deaf; born deaf
- obtuse; muddled; lacking understanding
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How it's used
This character is rarely used in modern spoken Cantonese and is largely considered a literary or formal term. While it can describe someone who is physically deaf, it is more commonly employed as a harsh, metaphorical insult to imply someone is stubborn or incapable of understanding simple instructions. Using it in casual conversation may come across as overly dramatic or archaic.
Examples
He was born deaf and cannot hear anything.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 聾, which is the standard, neutral term for deaf. Using 聵 to describe a person with hearing loss in a medical or everyday context can sound offensive or unnecessarily academic.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
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Particle
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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.
