kwan3 bik1窘迫
Jyutpingkwan3 bik1
Yalekwan bīk
Definition
Poverty-stricken; in straitened circumstances and living a very difficult life.
neutralmoneydescriptions
How it's used
While this word describes financial hardship, it carries a sense of being trapped or cornered by one's circumstances. It is more formal than simply saying 冇錢 or 窮，often appearing in news reports or written descriptions of someone's plight. Using it in casual conversation can sound slightly dramatic or literary, as if you are describing a character in a story.
Examples
He is in such dire financial straits lately that he cannot even afford to eat.
Seeing how he is struggling so much, why don't you help him out?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 尷尬，which means embarrassed or awkward. While both involve feeling trapped, 窘迫 specifically refers to material or financial scarcity, whereas 尷尬 refers to a social situation.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
