lai4 zan1嚟真
Definition
To be serious, do something for real, or put words into action rather than joking or pretending.
How it's used
This phrase is used to highlight that someone has moved past the stage of empty talk or idle threats and is now taking concrete action. It carries a sense of surprise or confirmation, often used when an observer realizes a situation has escalated from a casual or joking tone to a genuine commitment. It functions as a predicate adjective and is frequently paired with particles like 㗎 or 嘅 to emphasize the speaker's disbelief or realization.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 真係, but 嚟真 specifically implies a transition from a non-serious state to an active, real-world effort. It is not used to describe a state of being truthful or honest in a general sense, but rather to describe the act of following through on an intention.
Grammar color guide
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.
