gu2 waak6古惑
Jyutpinggu2 waak6
Yalegú waahk
Definition
Tricks, crafty schemes, or dishonest acts; also relating to shady or triad-related activities.
- tricks; crafty schemes; dishonest acts
- slangrelated to gangs, triads, or shady operations
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Often used as an adjective to describe someone who is cunning, sly, or street-smart in a way that feels slightly untrustworthy. While it can refer to criminal activities, it is frequently applied to everyday social situations where someone is being manipulative or playing games. The term carries a strong connotation of someone who knows how to bend the rules to their advantage.
Examples
Don't you dare try to pull any tricks to fool me again!
He is a very crafty person, you really shouldn't trust him.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Mandarin term 蠱惑, which is often used to mean bewitching or confusing someone. In Cantonese, 古惑 is primarily about being crafty or dishonest in one's behavior.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
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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).
