bai6斃毙
Jyutpingbai6
Yalebaih
Definition
To die; to perish.
colloquialemotionother
How it's used
While originally meaning to die, this word is now almost exclusively used in its figurative sense to describe a dire situation or being in deep trouble. It carries a strong sense of impending doom or a catastrophic outcome. You will rarely hear it used to describe actual death in modern spoken Cantonese, as that is reserved for words like 死 or 瓜.
Examples
This time it's really a disaster, I forgot my keys.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this word to describe the literal death of a person or animal in casual conversation, as it sounds overly dramatic or archaic. It is strictly for expressing that a situation has gone horribly wrong.
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.
