meng6 zai2 dou1 mou5 maai4命仔都冇埋
Jyutpingmeng6 zai2 dou1 mou5 maai4
Yalemehng jái dōu móuh màaih
Definition
To lose one's life over something.
colloquialhealthemotion
How it's used
This expression uses the diminutive suffix 仔 to add a sense of vulnerability or pathetic irony to the situation. It is typically used as a warning or a lament when someone is prioritizing trivial gains or risky thrills over their own safety. The structure emphasizes the finality of the loss by using 埋 to indicate that everything, including one's life, has been completely sacrificed.
Examples
It is not worth losing your life just to earn that little bit of money.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this phrase in formal or professional contexts, as it sounds overly dramatic and informal. It is strictly reserved for casual conversations among friends or family when criticizing reckless behavior.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
