sai2 nou5洗腦洗脑
Jyutpingsai2 nou5
Yalesái nóuh
Definition
To brainwash; to systematically indoctrinate someone to control their thinking.
colloquialpeoplecommunication
How it's used
Beyond the literal sense of ideological indoctrination, this term is frequently used in casual conversation to describe someone who has become obsessed with a specific brand, celebrity, or trend. It implies that the person has lost their critical thinking skills due to constant exposure to marketing or peer pressure. It carries a slightly mocking or critical tone when applied to trivial matters.
Examples
He watches these videos all the time, he's really been brainwashed.
Related words
Common phrases
thoroughly brainwashed
brainwashing-style propaganda
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe simple persuasion or convincing someone to change their mind. It specifically implies a repetitive, systematic, or overwhelming influence that overrides a person's independent judgment.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
