ng5 maa5 fan1 si1五馬分屍五马分尸
Jyutpingng5 maa5 fan1 si1
Yaleńgh máh fān sī
Definition
An ancient form of capital punishment where the condemned is dismembered by five horses pulling in different directions.
colloquialother
How it's used
Used metaphorically in modern speech to describe extreme physical destruction or being torn apart by conflicting demands. It carries a visceral, violent intensity that makes it a strong choice for hyperbole when someone is overwhelmed by multiple tasks or pressures.
Examples
Seeing dismemberment in a period drama is really terrifying.
Do you know how dismemberment by horses was carried out?
Related words
Common phrases
to carry out dismemberment
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
