m4 hai6 aa6 maa5唔係呀嗎唔系呀吗
Jyutpingm4 hai6 aa6 maa5
Yalem̀h haih ah máh
Definition
An exclamation expressing disbelief or shock, similar to "you must be kidding" or "seriously".
colloquialcommunicationemotion
How it's used
Expresses genuine disbelief or shock when hearing unexpected news. It functions as a rhetorical question that invites the listener to confirm or deny the situation. The tone is highly conversational and often carries a sense of playful protest or exasperation.
Examples
We have to work tomorrow? Surely that can't be true!
Related words
Common phrases
You've got to be kidding, it's that extreme?
Common mistake
Avoid using this in formal settings or with people you do not know well, as it can sound overly casual or even confrontational depending on the speaker's tone. It is strictly for informal peer-to-peer interaction.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
