maa4 kiu1 faan4麻Ｑ煩麻Ｑ烦
Jyutpingmaa4 kiu1 faan4
Yalemàh kīu fàahn
Definition
Euphemism for "effing pain in the ass" or extremely troublesome.
colloquialslangemotion
How it's used
Using the letter Q acts as a phonetic substitute for the vulgar character 鳩, allowing speakers to express intense frustration without using the explicit profanity. It functions as an intensifier for the adjective 麻煩, signaling that the situation is not just difficult, but genuinely infuriating or unreasonable. This construction is common in casual, heated, or exasperated speech among peers.
Examples
This whole thing is such an effing pain, it's giving me a headache.
Related words
Common phrases
really an effing pain
Common mistake
Avoid using this in professional settings or with people you do not know well, as the underlying vulgarity is widely understood despite the euphemistic spelling. It is strictly for informal, emotional outbursts.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
