sip3 fuk6懾服慑服
Jyutpingsip3 fuk6
Yalesip fuhk
Definition
To submit, surrender, or yield due to fear of power or authority.
writtenpeopleother
How it's used
This term carries a formal and literary weight, often describing a psychological state of submission rather than a physical one. It is rarely used in casual, everyday conversation and is more common in written contexts, news reports, or when describing historical power dynamics. Using it in a casual setting might sound overly dramatic or like a line from a period drama.
Examples
His imposing manner really makes people surrender in fear.
Do you think you can make people submit just by using violence?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 說服, which means to persuade or convince someone through reasoning. 懾服 implies submission through intimidation or overwhelming power, whereas 說服 implies changing someone's mind through logic or discussion.
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.
