caai1 mai4猜謎猜谜
Jyutpingcaai1 mai4
Yalechāai màih
Definition
To guess riddles.
colloquialdaily actionsfestival
How it's used
Focuses on the activity of solving riddles, which is a traditional pastime often associated with festive occasions like the Lantern Festival. It is more commonly used as a verb phrase rather than a standalone noun. When people want to refer to the riddle itself, they typically use 謎語.
Examples
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, we often play guessing riddles.
Related words
Common phrases
to play riddles
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 估, which is a general verb for guessing or estimating. While 猜謎 involves guessing, it specifically refers to the structured game of solving riddles.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
