jat1 ci3 hei2 loeng5 ci3 zi2一次起兩次止一次起两次止
Jyutpingjat1 ci3 hei2 loeng5 ci3 zi2
Yaleyāt chi héi léuhng chi jí
Definition
Just this once; something that may be tolerated once or twice but must not become a habit.
colloquialpeoplecommunication
How it's used
This idiom serves as a firm boundary setting, often used when someone is granting a favor or tolerating a behavior they do not want to see repeated. It carries a tone of finality, signaling that the current instance is an exception that will not be honored again. It is frequently employed in interpersonal conflicts or negotiations where one party is setting a clear limit on their patience.
Examples
I will help you this time, but this is definitely the last time.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a simple way to say once or twice, but it is actually a warning or a condition for an exception. Using it to describe a frequency of events rather than a limit on behavior will sound unnatural to native speakers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
