dai2抵
Jyutpingdai2
Yaledái
Definition
To deserve a certain outcome, whether good or bad.
colloquialdaily actionsemotion
How it's used
Expresses that a specific outcome is a fair or logical consequence of someone's prior actions. It carries a strong sense of moral judgment or karmic justice, often used when someone faces negative consequences for their own bad behavior. When used in a positive context, it emphasizes that the reward was earned through genuine effort.
Examples
He always lies to people, so it serves him right to be scolded.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to mean 'to resist' or 'to withstand' as in Mandarin, because in Cantonese it almost exclusively refers to worthiness or deserving an outcome.
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.
