gwai2 giu3鬼叫
Jyutpinggwai2 giu3
Yalegwái giu
Definition
Who asked you to; used when complaining to state the reason or who is to blame for a situation.
colloquialemotiondaily actions
How it's used
Expresses a sense of resignation or blaming someone for a situation that was entirely foreseeable or self-inflicted. It functions as a rhetorical way to explain the cause of a negative outcome, often implying that the person only has themselves to blame. The final particle 咩 is almost always included to emphasize the rhetorical nature of the question.
Examples
It's your own fault for not getting up earlier; you're late now.
It's because he's so foolish that he got all his money scammed.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to express genuine curiosity about a cause. It is strictly used for complaining or pointing out someone's responsibility for a bad result, so it can sound quite harsh or unsympathetic if used in the wrong context.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
