ce4 mo1 ngoi6 dou6邪魔外道
Jyutpingce4 mo1 ngoi6 dou6
Yalechèh mō ngoih douh
Definition
Heterodox doctrines or crooked, evil paths.
colloquialother
How it's used
Originally derived from Buddhist terminology referring to non-orthodox sects, this phrase is now used metaphorically to describe any unethical, devious, or unconventional methods. It carries a strong negative connotation, implying that someone is straying from the right path or using underhanded tactics to achieve a goal. It is frequently used to criticize someone's suspicious business practices or manipulative behavior.
Examples
He is always thinking of crooked ways, he is truly hopeless.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal religious term, but in modern daily speech, it is almost exclusively used to describe someone's shady character or dishonest methods.
Grammar color guide
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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.
