gaau2 gwai2攪鬼搅鬼
Jyutpinggaau2 gwai2
Yalegáau gwái
Definition
To play underhand tricks; to do mischief or cause trouble behind the scenes.
colloquialpeopledaily actions
How it's used
Often used to describe someone acting in a mischievous or slightly disruptive way, rather than necessarily malicious. It can also be used as an adjective to describe something as funny, quirky, or weird in a playful sense. When used as a verb, it implies a deliberate attempt to cause trouble or sabotage a situation.
Examples
Who is playing tricks here?
He always likes to play tricks, making everyone unhappy.
Related words
Common phrases
always playing tricks
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 搞事, which carries a much stronger connotation of causing serious trouble or inciting conflict. 攪鬼 is usually lighter and can sometimes even be used to describe a funny or eccentric person.
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).
