mai4 waak6迷惑

Jyutpingmai4 waak6

Yalemàih waahk

動詞Uncommon

Definition

To bewitch, tempt, or confuse someone so they lose their senses or self-control.

colloquialpeopleemotion

How it's used

This term carries a strong sense of being led astray by deceitful words or supernatural influence. Unlike the more common word 混淆 which refers to mixing things up or causing confusion between two concepts, 迷惑 implies a loss of personal judgment due to external manipulation. It is frequently used in contexts involving scams, cults, or manipulative relationships.

Examples

keoi5佢gong2講maai4埋di1啲daai6大waa6話mai4迷waak6惑daai6大gaa1家，zan1真hai6係hou2好gwo3過fan1分。

He told lies to confuse everyone, which is really going too far.

nei5你hai6係mai6咪bei2俾jan4人mai4迷waak6惑zo2咗aa4呀？dim2點gaai2解seon3信keoi5佢gam3咁do1多？

Have you been bewitched by someone? Why do you trust them so much?

Common phrases

mai4迷waak6惑jan4人sam1心

to confuse or bewitch people's minds

sau6受jan4人mai4迷waak6惑

to be bewitched or misled by someone

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for the adjective meaning confused or puzzled, which is 迷惘 or 困惑. In Cantonese, 迷惑 is almost exclusively used as a verb describing the act of causing someone to lose their way or judgment.