mou6 mui6冒昧
Jyutpingmou6 mui6
Yalemouh muih
Definition
Presumptuous, bold, or taking the liberty to do something that might be considered impolite or abrupt.
writtencommunicationpeople
How it's used
Used primarily in formal or semi-formal situations to soften the impact of a request or an intrusion. It functions as a polite disclaimer that acknowledges the speaker is aware their actions might be considered intrusive or socially awkward. It is rarely used in casual settings among close friends.
Examples
May I take the liberty of asking, have you changed jobs?
I am truly sorry for taking the liberty of disturbing you like this.
Related words
Common phrases
take the liberty to disturb
take the liberty to ask for advice
Common mistake
Learners often use it as a direct translation of 'bold' or 'brave', but it strictly carries a negative connotation of being socially inappropriate or lacking decorum. Do not use it to describe someone who is courageous or daring.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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).
