kwan3窘
Jyutpingkwan3
Yalekwan
Definition
Distressed, embarrassed, or hard-pressed.
neutralemotiondescriptions
How it's used
Used primarily in the compound 窘迫 to describe financial hardship or social embarrassment. When used as a standalone adjective, it carries a sense of being cornered or unable to act freely due to external pressure. It is more common in written or formal speech than in casual daily conversation.
Examples
His salary is so low, he is really in a tight spot.
Related words
Common phrases
poverty-stricken or embarrassed
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 尷尬, which specifically refers to social awkwardness or embarrassment, whereas 窘 carries a stronger connotation of being stuck in a difficult or constrained situation.
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.
