lyun6 ngap1 jaa6 sei3亂噏廿四乱噏廿四
Jyutpinglyun6 ngap1 jaa6 sei3
Yalelyuhn ngāp yah sei
Definition
To talk nonsense, rubbish, or gibberish; to talk through one's hat.
colloquialcommunicationslang
How it's used
The phrase originates from the traditional Chinese medical concept of the twenty-four meridian points, implying that someone is speaking randomly or without any logical basis as if they were just pointing at random spots. It is a very common, slightly informal way to dismiss someone's claims as completely unfounded or ridiculous. It is often used to call out someone who is making things up on the spot.
Examples
Don't talk nonsense, that never happened at all.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply being wrong or making a mistake. This phrase specifically implies that the speaker is talking aimlessly or making things up without any regard for the truth, often carrying a tone of annoyance or dismissal.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
