hoi1 faa1開花开花
Jyutpinghoi1 faa1
Yalehōi fā
Definition
To bloom or blossom; used as a post-verbal complement to indicate an extreme or severe state.
- to bloom; to blossom; to flower
- slangused after a verb with "dou3" to mean extremely, severely, or badly
colloquialnaturedescriptions
How it's used
Beyond the literal meaning of plants blooming, this term is frequently used metaphorically to describe something that finally yields results or reaches a successful stage after a long period of preparation. It carries a positive connotation of fruition. When used with the complement 到, it shifts to describe a state of extreme intensity, such as 忙到開花, which means to be incredibly busy.
Examples
This tree is blooming very beautifully this year.
Spring has arrived, have the flowers at your place bloomed yet?
Related words
Common phrases
extremely busy
to bear fruit; to come to fruition
Common mistake
Do not confuse the literal meaning with the metaphorical usage. While it describes flowers opening, using it to describe a person or object opening up physically is incorrect and will sound confusing to native speakers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
