pou5 beng6抱病
Jyutpingpou5 beng6
Yalepóuh behng
Definition
To do something despite being ill or in bad health.
neutralhealthwork
How it's used
Carries a formal tone that implies a sense of duty or persistence despite physical suffering. It is frequently used in news reports or formal writing to describe someone attending an event while unwell, though it can be used colloquially to emphasize how hard someone is pushing themselves.
Examples
He went to work today despite being ill, it's really tough.
Related words
Common phrases
to go into battle or take on a task while ill
to attend an event while ill
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a chronic illness or a general state of being unhealthy. It specifically refers to the act of performing a task or attending an event while currently suffering from an acute ailment.
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.
