tong4搪
Jyutpingtong4
Yaletòhng
Definition
To ward off or keep out, to spread or smear a substance, or to perform a duty perfunctorily.
- to ward off; to keep out; to evade
- to coat; to smear; to apply a layer of substance
- to do something half-heartedly or perfunctorily
colloquialdescriptionswork
How it's used
Primarily used in the compound 搪塞 to describe someone avoiding responsibility or giving a vague, insincere excuse. It carries a negative connotation of being lazy or dismissive toward a task or a person. Outside of this specific compound, the character is rarely encountered in modern spoken Cantonese.
Examples
He is very perfunctory with his work, just doing the bare minimum.
Related words
Common phrases
to brush off with excuses
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 擋, which means to physically block or obstruct. While 搪 can imply warding off, it is almost exclusively used in abstract contexts involving excuses or poor work performance.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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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.
