dai2 meng6抵命
Jyutpingdai2 meng6
Yaledái mehng
Definition
To pay with one's life; to atone for a crime with one's life.
colloquialpeopleother
How it's used
This term carries a heavy, dramatic tone usually reserved for discussions of serious crimes or extreme retribution. It implies a sense of cosmic or legal justice where a life must be exchanged for a life taken. It is rarely used in casual conversation unless one is being hyperbolic or discussing intense fictional plots.
Examples
He has done so many bad things, he really has to pay with his life.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 抵死, which is a common colloquial expression meaning someone deserves their bad luck or punishment. While 抵命 refers to a literal or figurative death penalty, 抵死 is used to mock someone for their own foolish actions.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
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Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
