lai6戾
Jyutpinglai6
Yalelaih
Definition
Contrary to rules, conventions, or proper etiquette; wicked or unruly.
writtendescriptionspeople
How it's used
Used almost exclusively in the compound 暴戾 to describe someone who is cruel, aggressive, or prone to violent outbursts. It is a formal, literary morpheme that rarely appears as a standalone adjective in modern spoken Cantonese. It carries a strong negative connotation, implying a lack of self-control or a malicious disposition.
Examples
He is a very violent person and loses his temper all the time.
Why are you speaking so aggressively?
Related words
Common phrases
cruel and violent
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 厲, as in 厲害, which sounds similar but carries a completely different meaning related to being impressive or severe.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
