mei6 seoi6未遂
Jyutpingmei6 seoi6
Yalemeih seuih
Definition
Unsuccessful; failed (often in the context of an attempted crime)
writtenother
How it's used
This term is almost exclusively used in formal, legal, or news contexts to describe crimes or actions that were attempted but not completed. It carries a clinical, objective tone that is rarely used in casual daily conversation. In everyday speech, people would instead use phrases like 失敗咗 or 唔成功.
Examples
He failed at stealing this time and was arrested immediately.
This robbery case ended up being an attempted one, nobody was hurt.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this word to describe personal failures like failing an exam or a project, as it is strictly reserved for legal or criminal contexts.
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.
