tyun5 zeng3斷正断正
Jyutpingtyun5 zeng3
Yaletyúhn jeng
Definition
To be caught in the act; to be caught red-handed.
colloquialdaily actions
How it's used
Focuses specifically on the moment of discovery while an illicit or embarrassing act is in progress. It carries a strong sense of being trapped without any room for denial, often implying that the person was caught in the act by an authority figure or a victim. The term is almost exclusively used for negative or prohibited behaviors.
Examples
Are you trying to get caught doing something bad?
Related words
Common phrases
caught red-handed on the spot
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this for being caught in a lie or a general misunderstanding, but it strictly requires the physical act to be witnessed as it happens.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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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).
