heoi1 ging1虛驚虚惊
Jyutpingheoi1 ging1
Yalehēui gīng
Definition
False alarm; unnecessary panic or a groundless scare.
colloquialemotiondescriptions
How it's used
This term is almost exclusively used with the suffix 一場 to describe the entire event as a false alarm. It carries a sense of relief after a period of unnecessary anxiety or panic. It is commonly used when someone misinterprets a situation, such as a health scare or a misplaced item.
Examples
It turned out to be just a false alarm, you scared me to death.
Are you just having a false alarm?
Related words
Common phrases
a false alarm
Common mistake
Learners often try to use it as a verb, but it functions as a noun. You should always pair it with a verb like 係 or 經歷 to make a complete sentence.
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.
