haap3 gon1 cou3呷乾醋呷干醋
Jyutpinghaap3 gon1 cou3
Yalehaap gōn chou
Definition
To be jealous for no reason.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
Adding the character 乾 emphasizes that the jealousy is baseless or unprovoked, distinguishing it from standard jealousy which might have a legitimate cause. It carries a slightly mocking tone, suggesting the person is being irrational or overly sensitive about a situation that poses no real threat. This expression is specifically used for romantic or interpersonal jealousy rather than envy of material possessions.
Examples
Why are you being jealous for no reason again?
He is always jealous for no reason, it is really annoying.
Related words
Common phrases
always jealous for no reason
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply being jealous, which is just 呷醋. Using 呷乾醋 implies you are criticizing the person for having no evidence or logical reason for their feelings, so it can sound quite confrontational if used directly to someone's face.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
