jyun1 gaa1 lou6 zaak3冤家路窄

Jyutpingjyun1 gaa1 lou6 zaak3

Yaleyūn gā louh jaak

語句Uncommon

Definition

An inevitable confrontation; used when enemies or rivals meet in a narrow path and cannot avoid each other.

colloquialpeopleemotion

How it's used

Used primarily to describe an awkward or unwelcome encounter with someone you dislike or have a history of conflict with. It carries a sense of fate or irony, implying that the meeting was impossible to avoid despite your best efforts. It is commonly used in casual conversation to express frustration or disbelief at such a coincidence.

Examples

dim2點gaai2解gam3咁dou1都zong6撞dou3*2到keoi5佢，zan1真hai6係jyun1冤gaa1家lou6路zaak3窄。

How did I bump into him here? What a small world, and not in a good way.

nei5你tung4同keoi5佢jyun1冤gaa1家lou6路zaak3窄，zeoi3最hou2好bei6避hoi1開keoi5佢laa1啦。

You and him are destined to clash, you had better avoid him.

Common phrases

zan1真hai6係jyun1冤gaa1家lou6路zaak3窄

what a truly unfortunate coincidence

Common mistake

Learners often use this to describe any coincidence, but it specifically requires a negative or adversarial relationship between the parties involved. Do not use it for pleasant or neutral chance meetings.