seon1 gwok3殉國殉国
Jyutpingseon1 gwok3
Yalesēun gwok
Definition
To die for one's country; to sacrifice oneself for the nation.
writtenpeople
How it's used
Carries a solemn and heroic tone, typically reserved for historical contexts or formal discussions about war and patriotism. It implies a sense of sacrifice for a greater cause rather than just a simple death. Unlike everyday words for dying, this term is almost exclusively used in written or formal speech.
Examples
He died for his country to protect his homeland.
Who would be willing to die for this regime?
Related words
Common phrases
to die heroically for one's country
Common mistake
Avoid using this in casual conversation to describe someone dying of natural causes or accidents, as it specifically denotes a deliberate sacrifice for one's nation.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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).
