mun6 zin3悶戰闷战
Jyutpingmun6 zin3
Yalemuhn jin
Definition
To use the tactic of deliberately prolonging a match or game to waste time and bore the opponent or audience.
colloquialdaily actionsother
How it's used
Originally a term from sports like football or chess, this describes a strategy where one side avoids aggressive action to tire out or frustrate the other. It implies a passive-aggressive approach to conflict where time is used as a weapon. You will often hear it used metaphorically in office politics or arguments to describe someone who refuses to engage directly but keeps the situation unresolved.
Examples
The two of them are playing a waiting game to wear down their opponent's will.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 悶, which means bored. While 悶戰 involves boredom, it is specifically a tactical choice to create a dull environment rather than a feeling of personal ennui.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
