zyun2孨
Jyutpingzyun2
Yalejyún
Definition
Cautious; cowardly; an orphan.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
While the character 孨 has classical roots referring to being an orphan or weak, it is rarely used in modern Cantonese in its original sense. In contemporary slang, it is often used to describe someone who is overly timid, hesitant, or lacking the courage to take risks. The modern internet slang definition involving house, wife, and car is a playful, ironic reinterpretation that is not part of standard vocabulary.
Examples
He is a very cautious person, always afraid of everything when doing things.
How can you take on big responsibilities when you are so cowardly?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 孱, which specifically refers to being physically weak or frail. 孨 focuses more on a personality trait of being overly cautious or timid rather than physical health.
Grammar color guide
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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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
