ng5忤
Jyutpingng5
Yaleńgh
Definition
Disobedient; rebellious.
colloquialfamilypeople
How it's used
Primarily appears in the compound 忤逆, which carries a heavy moral weight regarding filial piety. It is rarely used as a standalone verb in modern speech, functioning almost exclusively as an adjective to describe someone who defies their elders or ancestors. The term implies a serious breach of traditional family values rather than simple stubbornness.
Examples
He is always disobedient to his parents, he is really not sensible.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a general word for disobedient, but it is specifically tied to the parent child relationship. Using it to describe a disobedient pet or a defiant employee sounds unnatural and overly dramatic.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
