man4 ming4文明
Jyutpingman4 ming4
Yalemàhn mìhng
Definition
Civilisation or culture; an advanced state of human society, technology, and social organisation.
neutralpeopleother
How it's used
While often used in academic or historical contexts to describe societal advancement, it can also be used in daily life to describe someone's behavior. When referring to a person as 文明, it implies they are polite, well-mannered, and respectful of social norms. This usage is common when criticizing someone for being rude or uncivilized.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
The civilization in this place developed very early.
Do you think this kind of civilization has already disappeared?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the English word polite or the Cantonese word 有禮貌. While 文明 can imply good manners, it is a much broader term referring to the state of a society rather than just an individual's personality trait.
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).
