faa3 wai4 wu1 jau5化為烏有化为乌有

Jyutpingfaa3 wai4 wu1 jau5

Yalefa wàih wū yáuh

語句Uncommon

Definition

To vanish into thin air; to be completely reduced to nothing or to have one's hopes utterly shattered.

neutralother

How it's used

Carries a sense of dramatic, sudden loss, often used when long-term efforts or significant investments vanish completely. It is a formal idiom that stands out in casual speech, so it is typically reserved for describing serious situations or major setbacks rather than minor inconveniences.

Examples

keoi5佢cou5儲zo2咗hou2好noi6耐koi3嘅cin4錢，jat1一pou1鋪gwo3過faa3化wai4為wu1烏jau5有。

The money he saved for so long was wiped out in one go.

so2所jau5有nou5努lik6力faa3化wai4為wu1烏jau5有，nei5你gok3覺dak1得ho2可sik1惜m4唔ho2可sik1惜aa4呀？

All your hard work has come to nothing, do you find it a pity?

Common phrases

seon3瞬gaan1間faa3化wai4為wu1烏jau5有

vanish into thin air in an instant

jat1一cai3切faa3化wai4為wu1烏jau5有

everything is reduced to nothing

Common mistake

Avoid using this to describe simple things like losing a small object or forgetting a minor task, as the phrase implies a total, often irreversible destruction of something substantial.