gwai2 mai4鬼迷
Jyutpinggwai2 mai4
Yalegwái màih
Definition
To be bewitched, possessed, or under a spell.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
Describes a state where someone acts irrationally or makes poor decisions as if their judgment has been clouded by supernatural forces. It is frequently used to explain sudden, uncharacteristic behavior in friends or family members. The phrase carries a slightly dramatic or superstitious undertone, suggesting the person is not fully in control of their own actions.
Examples
Are you bewitched? You are doing such stupid things.
Related words
Common phrases
to be obsessed or blinded by something
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe actual mental health conditions or clinical confusion, as it is a figurative expression for poor decision-making or obsession. It is specifically reserved for when someone does something so out of character that it feels like they are not themselves.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
