zau3 maa6咒罵咒骂
Jyutpingzau3 maa6
Yalejau mah
Definition
To curse, swear, or abuse someone with malicious wishes.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
Carries a strong sense of malice and ill will, often implying a desire for misfortune to befall the target. Unlike standard scolding or shouting, it specifically involves invoking bad luck or death. It is considered highly aggressive and socially unacceptable behavior in almost all contexts.
Examples
He is loudly cursing at someone in the street.
Why do you have to curse at other people's family members?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply shouting or yelling, which can be expressed as 鬧人. Using 咒罵 implies a level of hostility that goes beyond verbal disagreement and into the territory of wishing harm upon someone.
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.
