hou2 koi3 m4 ling4 cau2 koi3 ling4好嘅唔靈醜嘅靈好嘅唔灵丑嘅灵
Jyutpinghou2 koi3 m4 ling4 cau2 koi3 ling4
Yalehóu koi m̀h lìhng cháu koi lìhng
Definition
An expression used when bad predictions or fears come true while good hopes do not.
colloquialemotionother
How it's used
This expression functions as a superstitious warning to silence someone who is speaking negatively about the future. It reflects a cultural anxiety that voicing a negative outcome might actually invite it into reality. People often use it to stop a friend from joking about bad luck or potential failure.
Examples
Don't say things like that, you know how bad omens always seem to come true.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a simple coincidence or a bad guess. It is specifically reserved for moments when someone is vocalizing a negative prediction that you want them to stop saying immediately.
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.
