man4 zi6 juk6文字獄文字狱
Jyutpingman4 zi6 juk6
Yalemàhn jih yuhk
Definition
Literary inquisition; imprisonment of a person solely for writing things that displease the authorities.
colloquialother
How it's used
Originally referring to historical purges where scholars were punished for their writings, this term is now frequently used in modern political discourse to describe censorship or the suppression of dissenting opinions. It carries a strong connotation of authoritarianism and backwardness. When used in casual conversation, it often serves as a sharp critique of over-sensitive moderation or social pressure to self-censor.
Examples
It is absurd to have a literary inquisition just for writing a sentence.
Related words
Common phrases
to engage in literary inquisition
to play the game of literary inquisition
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal prison for words, but it is a metaphorical concept describing a political or social environment rather than a physical place.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
