waan2 ngaang6玩硬
Jyutpingwaan2 ngaang6
Yalewáan ngaahng
Definition
To play hardball; to take a tough, unyielding, or uncompromising stance.
colloquialpeopleother
How it's used
Implies an uncompromising or confrontational stance in a negotiation or conflict. It suggests a shift from a cooperative or flexible approach to one that is deliberately aggressive or rigid. Often used when someone feels forced to respond to another person's unreasonable demands by showing they are equally unwilling to back down.
Examples
They want to play hardball with me, I definitely won't be afraid.
Do you think playing it tough can solve the problem?
Related words
Common phrases
to play hardball with someone
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 玩嘢, which means to mess around or pull a prank. 玩硬 is about a serious, firm, or aggressive strategy, whereas 玩嘢 is about being mischievous or causing trouble.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
