teoi3 jan2退隱退隐
Jyutpingteoi3 jan2
Yaleteui yán
Definition
To retire from public life or withdraw from society.
writtenpeopleplaces
How it's used
退隱 carries a slightly literary or dramatic tone, often implying a deliberate withdrawal from a busy or competitive social circle. It is frequently used in the context of martial arts fiction or high-stakes careers to describe someone choosing a quiet, secluded life. Using it to describe a standard office retirement sounds overly poetic or exaggerated.
Examples
After he retired from public life, he moved to the countryside to live.
Are you really sure you want to retire from the world of public affairs?
Related words
Common phrases
to withdraw from the world of public affairs
to retire to the mountains and forests
Common mistake
Do not use this for ordinary job retirement, which is better expressed as 退休. 退隱 implies a more profound, often permanent, lifestyle change away from the public eye.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
