tiu1 jan6挑釁挑衅
Jyutpingtiu1 jan6
Yaletīu yahn
Definition
To provoke; to stir up conflict.
neutralpeopleemotion
How it's used
Often used to describe aggressive behavior that aims to start a fight or test someone's patience. It carries a strong sense of intentional hostility and is rarely used in casual, friendly teasing. When someone is actively looking for trouble, this is the go-to verb to describe their actions.
Examples
Why are you provoking people for no reason?
He always likes to provoke my bottom line.
Related words
Common phrases
to provoke someone's bottom line
malicious provocation
Common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse this with simple teasing or joking. Remember that it implies a serious, confrontational intent to cause conflict, so it is not appropriate for lighthearted situations.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
