gaan1 gaau2奸狡
Jyutpinggaan1 gaau2
Yalegāan gáau
Definition
Deceitful, treacherous, and scheming for one's own benefit at the expense of others.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Carries a strong moral judgment, implying that the person is not just dishonest but actively malicious and calculating. It is often used to describe someone who hides their true intentions behind a friendly or harmless facade. Unlike simple words for lying, this term suggests a deep-seated personality trait rather than a one-off mistake.
Examples
He is very deceitful and always schemes to cheat people out of money.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe someone who is merely clever or witty, as that would be 醒目. Using this word implies a serious character flaw and a lack of integrity.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
