lai5 soeng6 wong5 loi4禮尚往來礼尚往来
Jyutpinglai5 soeng6 wong5 loi4
Yaleláih seuhng wóhng lòih
Definition
To treat others the way they treat you; to reciprocate how one is treated.
neutralpeopleother
How it's used
This idiom is frequently used to describe social etiquette or the expectation of mutual respect in relationships. While it can refer to the exchange of physical gifts, it is more commonly applied to the emotional or behavioral dynamic between people. It carries a sense of moral obligation to maintain balance in social interactions.
Examples
zou6做jan4人jiu3要sik1識lai5禮soeng6尚wong5往loi4來，jan4人dei6哋deoi3對nei5你hou2好，nei5你dou1都jiu3要deoi3對jan4人hou2好。
You should know how to reciprocate; if people treat you well, you should treat them well too.
Related words
Common phrases
to value mutual reciprocity
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a simple rule about gift-giving, but it is much broader and often implies a tit-for-tat approach to behavior or attitude. Avoid using it to describe a purely transactional business deal, as it carries a stronger sense of social reciprocity.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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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.
