gaau2 gwai2搞鬼
Jyutpinggaau2 gwai2
Yalegáau gwái
Definition
To make trouble, play tricks, or play practical jokes.
colloquialpeopledaily actions
How it's used
Describes mischievous behavior or deliberate attempts to disrupt a situation, often with a sense of annoyance. It carries a slightly playful or informal tone compared to more serious terms for sabotage or destruction. Use it when someone is acting in a way that is intentionally irritating or sneaky.
Examples
Who is playing tricks here?
He is always making trouble, it is really annoying.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the adjective 搞鬼 meaning funny or quirky, which is common in phrases like 呢個人好搞鬼. Context is essential to distinguish between the disruptive verb and the descriptive adjective.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
