ji4 san4 ji4 gwai2疑神疑鬼
Jyutpingji4 san4 ji4 gwai2
Yaleyìh sàhn yìh gwái
Definition
Extremely suspicious; overly paranoid and doubting everything.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
This idiom describes someone who is pathologically paranoid or constantly second-guessing the intentions of others. It carries a slightly critical tone, implying that the person's suspicions are unfounded or excessive. It is frequently used to describe someone who lacks trust in their friends, family, or colleagues without any concrete evidence.
Examples
Stop being so suspicious all the time, who would want to harm you?
He is extremely suspicious and always feels that people around him are badmouthing him.
Related words
Common phrases
always being suspicious
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a verb meaning to suspect someone, but it is an adjective describing a person's state of mind. You cannot say someone is疑神疑鬼 someone; instead, you must say someone is 疑神疑鬼, or use it to describe their general behavior.
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.
