long4 gwo3 waa4 sau3 zek3 gau2狼過華秀隻狗狼过华秀只狗
Definition
Extremely fierce, greedy, aggressive, or cruel.
How it's used
This proverb is a highly specific cultural reference to a historical local news story about a person named Wah Sau and his mistreatment of a dog. It functions as a sharp, biting insult directed at someone who lacks basic empathy or acts with extreme cold-heartedness. Because it relies on a specific anecdote, it is used primarily by older generations or in very informal, dramatic contexts to emphasize the severity of someone's cruelty.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners should avoid using this in professional or formal settings as it is a colloquial, emotionally charged idiom that can sound aggressive or overly dramatic. It is not a common everyday phrase for mild rudeness but is reserved for describing truly sociopathic or inhumane behavior.
Grammar color guide
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
