jau5 me1 dung1 gwaa1 dau6 fu6有乜冬瓜豆腐

Jyutpingjau5 me1 dung1 gwaa1 dau6 fu6

Yaleyáuh mē dūng gwā dauh fuh

Definition

If anything unfortunate or fatal happens.

colloquialother

How it's used

This is a classic Cantonese idiom used to refer to unexpected accidents, emergencies, or death. It carries a slightly superstitious or euphemistic tone, often used to avoid speaking directly about death or serious injury. It is frequently paired with 萬一 to emphasize the hypothetical nature of the misfortune.

Examples

maan6萬jat1一jau5有me1乜dung1冬gwaa1瓜dau6豆fu6腐，nei5你dim2點syun3算aa4呀？

If anything unfortunate happens, what will you do?

keoi5佢waa6話jiu3要zi6自gei2己heoi3去taam3探him2險，geng1驚keoi5佢jau5有me1乜dung1冬gwaa1瓜dau6豆fu6腐。

He said he wants to go exploring alone; I am worried something bad might happen to him.

Common phrases

maan6萬jat1一jau5有me1乜dung1冬gwaa1瓜dau6豆fu6腐

in case anything bad happens

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a literal reference to food, but it is strictly an idiom for misfortune. Do not use it in formal or professional settings, as it sounds very informal and slightly dramatic.