sung3 ming6送命
Jyutpingsung3 ming6
Yalesung mihng
Definition
To lose one's life in an accident or incident.
colloquialdaily actionsother
How it's used
Often used hyperbolically to describe activities that are extremely dangerous or reckless, rather than just literal death. It carries a strong sense of warning or disapproval regarding someone's lack of caution. It functions as a verb phrase that implies a direct causal link between an action and the loss of life.
Examples
He is driving so fast, it is basically courting death.
This kind of extreme sport can really cost you your life at any time.
Related words
Common phrases
to risk one's life at any moment
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 死, which is a neutral verb for dying. 送命 specifically emphasizes the act of throwing one's life away through foolish or dangerous behavior.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
