fai3 si6費事费事
Jyutpingfai3 si6
Yalefai sih
Definition
Troublesome, cumbersome, or time-consuming.
colloquialdaily actionsdescriptions
How it's used
Often used as a verb phrase meaning to avoid doing something because it is not worth the effort, as in 費事講. It carries a sense of impatience or a desire to simplify one's life by skipping unnecessary steps. Unlike formal terms for complexity, this word focuses on the speaker's personal reluctance to invest time or energy.
Examples
That matter is too troublesome, I don't want to deal with it.
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 麻煩, but 費事 specifically highlights the avoidance of effort or the act of saving oneself from a chore, whereas 麻煩 describes the inherent difficulty of a situation.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
