fai1撝㧑

Jyutpingfai1

Yalefāi

Definition

To wave or brandish; to split or divide; to assist.

to wave; to brandish
to split; to divide
to assist; to guide

colloquialdaily actions

How it's used

Primarily used in spoken Cantonese to describe the physical act of splitting or tearing something apart, often with one's hands. It carries a sense of forceful separation compared to more neutral verbs like 分開. It is frequently applied to objects that can be pulled or pried into pieces.

Examples

keoi5佢fai1撝hoi1開zo2咗go3個ping4蘋gwo2果bei2畀ngo5我sik6食。

He split the apple open for me to eat.

nei5你sai2使m4唔sai2使ngo5我bong1幫nei5你fai1撝hoi1開di1啲zi2紙？

Do you need me to help you split the papers?

Common phrases

fai1撝hoi1開

to split open

Common mistake

Learners often confuse this with 分開, which is a more general term for separating things. 撝 specifically implies a physical action of tearing or prying apart, whereas 分開 can refer to abstract separation or simply moving things away from each other.