zing1 zit3貞節贞节
Jyutpingzing1 zit3
Yalejīng jit
Definition
Chastity, especially a widow's faithfulness to her late husband by not remarrying.
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How it's used
Refers specifically to a traditional moral standard that is now largely considered archaic or oppressive. It is almost exclusively used when discussing historical customs or literature rather than modern personal relationships. The term carries a heavy weight of social expectation from feudal times.
Examples
People in the old days placed great importance on chastity.
She never remarried in her whole life in order to remain chaste.
Related words
Common phrases
chastity arch
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe modern faithfulness or loyalty in a relationship, as it implies a specific, outdated cultural expectation of widowhood and extreme self-denial.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Adjective
Adverb
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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.
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