sau2 dong1 kei4 cung1首當其衝首当其冲
Jyutpingsau2 dong1 kei4 cung1
Yalesáu dōng kèih chūng
Definition
To bear the brunt of; to be the first to be affected or hit by a disaster or impact.
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How it's used
Carries a formal and slightly dramatic tone, often appearing in news reports or serious discussions about negative consequences. It implies a sense of vulnerability where the subject is positioned directly in the path of a disaster or change. While it functions as a verb phrase, it is rarely used in casual, lighthearted conversation.
Examples
When the economy is bad, the retail industry bears the brunt.
Which department will be the first to be affected by this round of layoffs?
Related words
Common phrases
the primary victims
Common mistake
Often misused to mean simply being the first to do something or taking the lead in a positive sense, but it strictly refers to suffering the initial impact of something negative.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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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).
