laang5 gung1冷宮冷宫
Jyutpinglaang5 gung1
Yaleláahng gūng
Definition
A secluded or worn-out palace where an emperor houses out-of-favor empresses or concubines.
colloquialpeopleemotion
How it's used
Metaphorically refers to being neglected, ignored, or sidelined by someone in power or a partner. It carries a dramatic, slightly theatrical tone often used in gossip or when complaining about being overlooked. The phrase is frequently used in the context of office politics or romantic relationships to describe a sudden loss of attention.
Examples
After she fell out of favor, she was sent to the cold palace.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a literal cold room or a freezer; it is strictly a figurative term for social or emotional abandonment.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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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).
