tung1 hiu3通竅通窍
Jyutpingtung1 hiu3
Yaletūng hiu
Definition
To understand things, be sensible, or be reasonable.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Describes someone who is quick to grasp the logic behind a situation or is willing to change their mind when presented with sound reasoning. It carries a slightly more mature or evaluative tone than simply saying someone is smart. It is often used when someone has finally stopped being stubborn or unreasonable.
Examples
He is very sensible and understands as soon as you explain it.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the medical or literal sense of clearing nasal passages, which is also written as 通竅 in formal Chinese. In daily Cantonese, the figurative meaning is much more common.
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.
