haak3 hei3客氣客气

Jyutpinghaak3 hei3

Yalehaak hei

形容詞Common

Definition

Courteous, polite, or modest; keeping a polite distance.

courteous; polite; modest
keeping a polite distance; formal or stand-offish

colloquialpeopledescriptions

How it's used

Often used to signal that someone is being overly formal or distant, implying that the speaker wants to drop the social barriers. When someone offers you something and you say 唔使客氣, you are essentially telling them not to go through the trouble or to stop being so formal with you. It carries a nuance of intimacy, where being too polite can actually feel like a rejection of friendship.

Examples

daai6大gaa1家gam3咁suk6熟，m4唔sai2使gam3咁haak3客hei3氣laa1啦。

We are so close, no need to be so formal.

nei5你zou6做me1咩deoi3對ngo5我gam3咁haak3客hei3氣aa4呀？

Why are you being so polite to me?

Common phrases

m4唔sai2使haak3客hei3氣

don't mention it / no need to be formal

taai2太haak3客hei3氣

too polite / too formal

Common mistake

Learners often use it as a direct translation of polite, but it frequently carries a negative connotation of being distant or insincere. If you are too formal with close friends, they might ask if you are being客氣 to mock your lack of closeness.