hai6 jiu3係要系要

Jyutpinghai6 jiu3

Yalehaih yiu

Definition

To insist on; to persist in doing something despite opposition or difficulty.

colloquialdaily actionsemotion

How it's used

This construction emphasizes a strong, often stubborn, insistence or an unavoidable necessity that goes against common sense or advice. It carries a sense of frustration from the speaker, highlighting that the subject is acting out of a fixed desire regardless of the consequences. Unlike the neutral need to, it implies a deliberate choice to be difficult or persistent.

Examples

nei5你zou6做mat1乜hai6係jiu3要tung4同keoi5佢cou4嘈aa4呀？

Why do you insist on arguing with him?

keoi5佢hai6係jiu3要maai5買le1呢deoi3對haai4鞋，dim2點hyun3勸dou1都m4唔teng1聽。

He insists on buying these shoes and won't listen to any advice.

Common phrases

hai6係jiu3要gam3咁joeng2樣

insist on doing it this way

hai6係jiu3要zau2走

insist on leaving

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a simple way to say need to, but it carries a strong emotional weight of insistence. Using it in a neutral context where there is no conflict or stubbornness can sound unnatural or overly dramatic.