ceoi1 wai2摧毀摧毁
Jyutpingceoi1 wai2
Yalechēui wái
Definition
To destroy, smash, or severely damage on a large scale.
neutraldescriptionsother
How it's used
Focuses on severe, large scale devastation rather than minor breakage. It carries a heavy, formal tone often reserved for natural disasters, war, or abstract concepts like dreams and reputations. In casual conversation, people prefer using 整爛 or 拆咗 to describe everyday objects being broken.
Examples
The big fire destroyed the entire shopping mall.
Do you know that this decision will destroy his whole life?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this for small, everyday items like a broken cup or a torn shirt, as it sounds overly dramatic and unnatural in those contexts.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
