daa2 dou3 hoi1 faa1打到開花打到开花
Jyutpingdaa2 dou3 hoi1 faa1
Yaledá dou hōi fā
Definition
To beat someone up severely; to be beaten to a bloody or battered state.
colloquialbodyslang
How it's used
This idiom uses the imagery of a flower blooming to describe the physical state of someone who has been severely injured or bruised. It is a vivid, hyperbolic expression used to emphasize the severity of a physical altercation. It is strictly reserved for describing the aftermath of violence and should never be used to describe literal flowers or anything positive.
Examples
He got beaten up really badly, it is so miserable.
If you do not leave now, watch out for getting beaten to a pulp.
Related words
Common phrases
to be beaten to a pulp by someone
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly interpret this as a literal description of something opening up, but it is exclusively used for physical violence and bodily harm. Do not use it to describe objects breaking or blooming.
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.
