mou6 tin1 haa6 zi1 daai6 bat1 wai5冒天下之大不韙冒天下之大不韪
Jyutpingmou6 tin1 haa6 zi1 daai6 bat1 wai5
Yalemouh tīn hah jī daaih bāt wáih
Definition
To defy public opinion and risk universal condemnation to do something considered wrong by everyone.
writtenotherpeople
How it's used
This is a formal idiom often used in news reports or political commentary to describe someone acting against the collective moral consensus. It carries a heavy, dramatic weight, suggesting that the person is knowingly inviting severe criticism or social backlash. It is rarely used in casual, everyday small talk unless one is being intentionally hyperbolic or sarcastic.
Examples
He actually defied public opinion and publicly opposed this decision.
Are you really going to risk universal condemnation to do something so dangerous?
Related words
Common phrases
to be willing to risk universal condemnation
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a simple way to say someone is being rebellious or stubborn. It specifically implies a high-stakes situation where the person is going against the entire public or society, not just a single person or a small group.
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.
