naau6 ji3 hei3鬧意氣闹意气
Jyutpingnaau6 ji3 hei3
Yalenaauh yi hei
Definition
To bicker, clash, or let emotions get in the way of reason due to personal animosity or stubbornness.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
Describes a specific type of conflict where someone acts stubborn or uncooperative primarily to express resentment or spite rather than to resolve a disagreement. It implies a childish or petty attitude where the person is intentionally being difficult to make a point. You will often see this used when describing people who refuse to talk or cooperate because they feel slighted.
Examples
The two of them are sulking at each other again, it is so annoying.
Related words
Common phrases
to sulk for no reason
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 鬧交, which refers to a standard verbal argument or shouting match. 鬧意氣 focuses on the emotional state of sulking or passive-aggressive behavior, whereas 鬧交 focuses on the act of arguing itself.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Adjective
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Particle
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Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
