dung1 gwaa1 dau6 fu6冬瓜豆腐

Jyutpingdung1 gwaa1 dau6 fu6

Yaledūng gwā dauh fuh

Definition

An unexpected serious accident, misfortune, or death.

colloquialpeopleemotion

How it's used

This idiom is a euphemism for death or serious misfortune, often used to express concern for someone's safety. It functions as a way to avoid directly mentioning death, which is considered taboo in many social situations. You will frequently hear it preceded by 咩 to soften the tone when speculating about potential accidents.

Examples

jyu4如gwo2果keoi5佢jau5有me1咩dung1冬gwaa1瓜dau6豆fu6腐，ngo5我dim2點tung4同keoi5佢uk1屋kei2企jan4人gaau1交doi6代aa4呀？

If something happens to him, how am I supposed to explain it to his family?

nei5你jat1一go3個jan4人heoi3去gam3咁jyun5遠，maan6萬jat1一jau5有me1咩dung1冬gwaa1瓜dau6豆fu6腐dim2點syun3算？

You are going so far alone, what if you run into some kind of trouble?

Common phrases

jau5有me1咩dung1冬gwaa1瓜dau6豆fu6腐

in case of any emergency or fatal accident

Common mistake

Do not use this phrase to describe minor inconveniences like losing a wallet or missing a bus. It is reserved for life-threatening situations or serious emergencies, and using it for trivial matters can sound overly dramatic or insensitive.