sei2 caang1死撐死撑
Jyutpingsei2 caang1
Yaleséi chāang
Definition
To stubbornly refuse to admit defeat or error, or to force oneself to endure through difficulty.
- to stubbornly refuse to admit failure or error; to insist on being right
- to force oneself to endure pain or hardship; to refuse to rest or give up
colloquialpeopledaily actions
How it's used
Focuses on the stubborn refusal to yield despite overwhelming evidence or physical exhaustion. It carries a strong sense of irrationality, implying that the person is fighting a losing battle just to save face or out of sheer pigheadedness. It is frequently used to criticize someone for being in denial or for pushing themselves past their breaking point.
Examples
You clearly made a mistake, why are you still stubbornly refusing to admit it?
He is clearly deathly ill, but he is still stubbornly forcing himself to go to work and refusing to take leave.
Related words
Common phrases
to stubbornly hold out until the very end
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 堅持, which is a neutral or positive term for persistence or perseverance. Using 死撐 implies that the persistence is misguided, foolish, or counterproductive.
Grammar color guide
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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.
