cyun4 sai3 gaai3全世界
Jyutpingcyun4 sai3 gaai3
Yalechyùhn sai gaai
Definition
The whole world, often used figuratively to mean everyone or everything in a certain scope.
- the entire world; all of humanity
- figurativeeveryone or everything within a specific scope; a hyperbole for 'everyone'
colloquialpeoplecommunication
How it's used
Frequent use of this term serves as a hyperbolic way to refer to everyone in a specific social circle or room rather than the literal planet. It is often employed in complaints or teasing to emphasize that a secret is no longer private or that a person is acting self-centered. It carries a strong emotional weight when used to highlight a sense of being watched or judged by others.
Examples
Everyone in the whole world knows you like them.
Related words
Common phrases
everyone knows
surrounded by the whole world
Common mistake
Avoid using this to mean every single person on Earth in a literal sense, as it is almost always an exaggeration. Using it in formal writing to describe global demographics is inappropriate and sounds unnatural.
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.
