waang4 maan4橫蠻横蛮
Jyutpingwaang4 maan4
Yalewàahng màahn
Definition
Rude, unreasonable, and barbaric; refusing to listen to reason.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This term carries a strong sense of aggressive, bullying behavior rather than just simple bad manners. It implies that the person is not only rude but actively imposing their will on others without regard for logic or fairness. It is often used to describe someone who uses their position or physical presence to intimidate others into compliance.
Examples
He is very unreasonable and never listens to anyone.
Why are you being so rude? Let's talk things through properly.
Related words
Common phrases
unreasonably rude and irrational
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 粗魯, which focuses more on physical clumsiness or lack of refinement in manners. 橫蠻 specifically targets the refusal to engage in reasonable discussion or respect boundaries.
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.
