daa2 maa4 zoek2打麻雀

Jyutpingdaa2 maa4 zoek2

Yaledá màh jéuk

動詞Common

Definition

To play mahjong.

colloquialdaily actionsother

How it's used

Playing mahjong is a deeply ingrained social activity in Hong Kong culture, often serving as a way to bond with family or friends during holidays like Lunar New Year. While the term literally refers to the game, it is frequently used to describe the entire social event, which often includes snacks, tea, and hours of conversation. It is common to hear people refer to the game simply as 打牌 to avoid repetition if the context is already clear.

Examples

gam1今maan5晚jau5有mou5冇jan4人soeng2想gwo3過lai2嚟daa2打maa4麻zoek2雀aa4呀？

Does anyone want to come over to play mahjong tonight?

keoi5佢dei6哋gei2幾go3個seng4成jat6日dou1都daa2打maa4麻zoek2雀daa2打dou3到tin1天gwong1光。

Those few of them always play mahjong until dawn.

Common phrases

daa2打tung1通siu1宵maa4麻zoek3雀

to play mahjong all night

goek3腳

a player needed to complete a set of four

Common mistake

Learners often confuse the verb 打麻雀 with the noun 麻雀, which refers to the sparrow bird. While the context usually makes the meaning clear, remember that the game is always a verb phrase.