mou6 faan6冒犯
Jyutpingmou6 faan6
Yalemouh faahn
Definition
To offend or affront someone by behaving impolitely or showing disrespect.
neutralpeoplecommunication
How it's used
Carries a formal and serious tone that is rarely used in casual, everyday banter between close friends. It is most commonly heard in apologies or when someone is being deliberately cautious about their choice of words in a professional or sensitive setting. Using it in a lighthearted context can sound overly dramatic or sarcastic.
Examples
I don't mean to offend you, I'm just stating the facts.
He speaks so directly, will he end up offending people?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use it as a direct translation for any kind of annoyance, but it specifically refers to a breach of social etiquette or respect. For minor annoyances or general irritation, use 激親 or 嬲 instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
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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).
