daai6 gat1 lai6 si6大吉利是
Jyutpingdaai6 gat1 lai6 si6
Yaledaaih gāt laih sih
Definition
An expression used to ward off bad luck after something inauspicious has been said or done.
colloquialother
How it's used
Used as a verbal charm to ward off bad luck after someone mentions death, illness, or a disaster. It functions similarly to the English phrase touch wood or knock on wood. It is often accompanied by a spitting gesture or a sound like呸 to physically expel the bad omen.
Examples
Why are you saying that? Touch wood.
Related words
Common phrases
to say touch wood
Common mistake
Do not use this phrase to mean good luck or to wish someone well. It is strictly a reactive expression used to neutralize negative talk or unlucky events.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
