jyun1 jyun1 soeng1 bou3 ho4 si4 liu5冤冤相報何時了冤冤相报何时了
Jyutpingjyun1 jyun1 soeng1 bou3 ho4 si4 liu5
Yaleyūn yūn sēung bou hòh sìh líuh
Definition
Revenge begets revenge, so the cycle may never end; a saying used to urge someone to let go of a grudge.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
This phrase is a classic literary idiom often used in serious or reflective contexts to advise someone against escalating a conflict. It carries a philosophical weight that suggests the futility of holding onto grudges. While it originates from classical literature, it is frequently cited in daily life when someone is stuck in a cycle of petty retaliation.
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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.
