gwaai1 gwaai1乖乖
Jyutpinggwaai1 gwaai1
Yalegwāai gwāai
Definition
Well-behaved, good, and non-confrontational.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Often used as a reduplicated adjective to describe children or pets who are obedient and quiet. It carries a sense of endearment and can sound slightly patronizing if used towards adults, implying they should be compliant or submissive. In some contexts, it functions as an imperative to tell someone to behave themselves.
Examples
You need to be a good kid and do your homework at home today.
He was very well-behaved when he was little and never threw tantrums.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Mandarin term for the snack or the slang for 'very', as in Cantonese it specifically refers to behavior and temperament. It is rarely used to describe adults in a professional or serious context.
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.
