mou4 gaan3 dou6無間道无间道
Jyutpingmou4 gaan3 dou6
Yalemòuh gaan douh
Definition
The Buddhist realm of Avici (the lowest level of hell); also used figuratively to refer to undercover work.
- Avici, the lowest and most painful level of hell in Buddhism
- figurativeundercover work, or an undercover police officer
colloquialpeopleother
How it's used
Originally the title of a famous Hong Kong crime thriller, this term has evolved into a common noun for someone acting as a mole or double agent within an organization. It carries a sense of tension and betrayal, often used in office politics or social groups to describe someone leaking information to the other side.
Examples
He has been an undercover agent in the company for a long time.
Related words
Common phrases
to act as an undercover agent
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a regular police officer. It specifically implies a deceptive, hidden role where the person is pretending to be part of a group while secretly working against it.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
