gwo3 liu5 fo2 wai2過了火位过了火位
Jyutpinggwo3 liu5 fo2 wai2
Yalegwo líuh fó wái
Definition
To have gone too far, gone over the top, or overshot.
colloquialdescriptionsemotion
How it's used
The term originates from the concept of a fire or heat source being too intense, implying that a situation has exceeded a reasonable limit or boundary. It is frequently used to describe behavior, jokes, or reactions that have become offensive or inappropriate. Unlike simply saying something is too much, this phrase carries a strong sense of social transgression.
Related words
Common phrases
to say something that goes too far
to take a joke or game too far
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with the Mandarin expression 過火, but in Cantonese, the addition of 位 adds a specific sense of a threshold or boundary being crossed. Ensure you use the aspect marker 咗 to indicate the action has already occurred.
Grammar color guide
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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.
