laau2 gaau6澩嫪
Jyutpinglaau2 gaau6
Yaleláau gaauh
Definition
Messy, in disarray, complex, or troublesome.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
This term is used to describe situations or physical spaces that are chaotic, tangled, or unnecessarily complicated. It carries a sense of frustration, implying that the mess is overwhelming or difficult to sort out. It is strictly colloquial and mostly heard in spoken Cantonese rather than writing.
Examples
The room is in such a mess, tidy it up quickly.
The matter has become so troublesome, how will you resolve it?
Related words
Common phrases
messy to the point of being chaotic
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a general word for dirty, but it specifically refers to disorder or complexity rather than hygiene. Avoid using it to describe someone who is simply unhygienic.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
