sou1 dung6騷動骚动
Jyutpingsou1 dung6
Yalesōu duhng
Definition
Commotion, disturbance, or riot; a situation where a crowd becomes restless and disorderly.
neutralpeopleother
How it's used
Focus on the physical manifestation of disorder rather than just noise. It implies a collective restlessness or agitation within a crowd that threatens to break the peace. While it can describe a protest or riot, it is also used for smaller scale disturbances in public spaces.
Measure word
zan6陣janhExamples
There was a sudden commotion outside.
Why is there such a big commotion going on over there?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 嘈, which refers specifically to noise. A commotion involves movement and physical instability, whereas 嘈 is purely auditory.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
