kung4 zeon6窮盡穷尽
Jyutpingkung4 zeon6
Yalekùhng jeuhn
Definition
To exhaust; to use up completely.
writtendaily actionsdescriptions
How it's used
This term carries a formal and serious tone, often used in contexts involving extreme effort, resources, or intellectual capacity. It is rarely used in casual, everyday conversation to describe running out of simple items like food or money. Instead, it implies a sense of finality or reaching the absolute limit of what is available.
Examples
He exhausted his life's efforts to research this thing.
Do you really need to exhaust every method to solve it?
Related words
Common phrases
exhaust all one's efforts
exhaust all methods
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this for everyday situations like running out of milk or money, where 冇晒 is much more natural. Using 窮盡 for trivial matters sounds overly dramatic or literary.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- 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.
