zyu1誅诛
Jyutpingzyu1
Yalejyū
Definition
To execute, put to death, or eliminate.
writtenother
How it's used
This character is strictly literary and is never used in everyday spoken Cantonese to mean killing. It is almost exclusively found in historical contexts or idioms involving capital punishment ordered by an authority. Using it in casual conversation to mean killing someone would sound bizarrely archaic or overly dramatic.
Examples
He committed a huge mistake, he really deserves to be executed.
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a common verb like 殺. It is a formal, high register morpheme that does not function as a standalone verb in modern speech.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
