daai6 waa6 gaap3 hou2 coi2大話夾好彩大话夹好彩
Definition
By a stroke of luck; fortunately surviving or avoiding disaster despite close calls.
How it's used
This expression is used to describe a situation where someone achieves a positive outcome despite having no real skill or preparation, often implying the person is bluffing or exaggerating their own ability. It carries a slightly cynical or dismissive tone, suggesting that the success is undeserved or accidental. It is frequently used to deflate someone who is bragging about an achievement that was clearly just a lucky break.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal phrase about lying, but it is specifically about the contrast between a lack of genuine ability and a fortunate result. Do not use it to describe someone who is simply lucky in general, as it specifically targets the gap between a person's claims and their actual performance.
Grammar color guide
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.
