gin3 sei2 bat1 gau3見死不救见死不救
Jyutpinggin3 sei2 bat1 gau3
Yalegin séi bāt gau
Definition
To look on and do nothing when someone is in critical danger or dying.
colloquialpeopleemotion
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong moral condemnation and is typically used to criticize someone for their cold-hearted inaction. It implies that the person had the capacity to intervene or provide assistance but chose to remain a passive bystander. It is often used in serious contexts, such as when discussing professional ethics or personal integrity.
Examples
It is really heartless to stand by and do nothing when someone is in danger.
How can you live with yourself if you refuse to help someone in such a critical situation?
Related words
Common phrases
simply refusing to help in a crisis
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a general term for being unhelpful, but it specifically refers to life-or-death or critical emergency situations. Using it for minor inconveniences, like someone refusing to help you carry a bag, will sound overly dramatic and unnatural.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
