man4 fung1 song3 daam2聞風喪膽闻风丧胆
Jyutpingman4 fung1 song3 daam2
Yalemàhn fūng song dáam
Definition
To become terror-stricken at the mere mention of something or upon hearing the news.
writtenemotionpeople
How it's used
This idiom is typically used to describe the reputation of a person, organization, or event that is so intimidating that people panic just by hearing about it. It carries a dramatic, almost cinematic weight, often appearing in news reports or stories about notorious criminals or dangerous situations. It is rarely used to describe personal, everyday fears like being afraid of spiders or heights.
Examples
The name of this bully really makes people terror-stricken.
Who wouldn't be terrified upon hearing this news?
Related words
Common phrases
to cause people to be terror-stricken
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this to describe simple nervousness or being startled by a loud noise. It is specifically reserved for extreme fear or dread caused by a reputation or a threatening piece of information.
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.
