gaau2 waan1攪彎搅弯
Jyutpinggaau2 waan1
Yalegáau wāan
Definition
To spoil, ruin, or mess up a plan or situation.
colloquialdaily actions
How it's used
This phrase is used when someone's actions or interference cause a situation to go wrong or fail. It carries a sense of frustration or blame, implying that the outcome was intentional or due to gross incompetence. It is frequently used in the passive voice with 畀 to emphasize that the speaker is a victim of the other person's meddling.
Examples
Why did you ruin the plan?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 攪錯, which means to make a mistake or misunderstand something. 攪彎 implies active sabotage or causing a mess that prevents success, whereas 攪錯 is simply a cognitive error.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
