naau6 cau3鬧臭闹臭
Jyutpingnaau6 cau3
Yalenaauh chau
Definition
To humiliate or publicly scold and shame someone.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
This term carries a strong sense of public humiliation and loss of face. It implies not just a disagreement, but a deliberate attempt to damage someone's reputation or dignity in front of an audience. It is far more aggressive and personal than simply using 鬧.
Examples
He scolded me loudly in the street to shame me.
Why did you have to shame him in front of others?
Related words
Common phrases
to shame someone in public
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with general scolding. Remember that 鬧臭 specifically requires the element of public exposure or social shaming, whereas 鬧 can be done in private.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
