tong4 tong4堂堂
Jyutpingtong4 tong4
Yaletòhng tòhng
Definition
Dignified, majestic, or magnificent in appearance or status.
colloquialdescriptionspeople
How it's used
Often used to emphasize someone's status or moral character, implying they should act in a way that matches their position. It carries a sense of respectability and openness, contrasting with behavior that is sneaky or beneath one's station.
Examples
He has a very dignified and upright appearance.
You are a dignified manager, don't be so petty.
Related words
Common phrases
upright and honorable
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the noun 課堂, which refers to a classroom or lesson. Also, it is almost exclusively used in the reduplicated form 堂堂正正 when describing character or appearance.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
