mou4誣诬
Jyutpingmou4
Yalemòuh
Definition
To accuse falsely; to slander or frame.
writtenpeoplecommunication
How it's used
Usage is almost exclusively restricted to formal contexts, legal settings, or serious accusations. In everyday speech, people prefer using the two-character compound 誣衊 or 誣告 rather than the single character 誣 on its own. It carries a heavy weight and implies a deliberate, malicious attempt to damage someone's reputation.
Examples
He didn't do it at all, don't falsely accuse him.
Related words
Common phrases
to slander someone
to frame someone with false charges
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a common verb like 講 or 鬧, but it is much more severe and formal. Using it in casual conversation to describe a simple misunderstanding will sound unnaturally dramatic or like you are reading from a legal document.
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.
