aak1 gwai2 sik6 dau6 fu6呃鬼食豆腐
Jyutpingaak1 gwai2 sik6 dau6 fu6
Yaleāak gwái sihk dauh fuh
Definition
To deceive someone with an obvious lie or a poor, easily exposed excuse.
colloquialcommunicationslang
How it's used
This idiom is used when someone offers a lie so transparent that it is insulting to the listener's intelligence. The imagery of tricking a ghost into eating tofu is humorous because ghosts are traditionally seen as powerful or scary, yet here they are depicted as gullible enough to be fooled by something as bland and soft as bean curd. It carries a strong tone of mockery toward the deceiver.
Examples
Your excuse is so fake, do you really think you can fool me?
Related words
Common phrases
trying to pull a fast one
Common mistake
Do not use this phrase to describe a sophisticated or clever scam. It is strictly reserved for lies that are clumsy, obvious, or poorly thought out.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
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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.
