mok6 jik6 zi1 gaau1莫逆之交
Jyutpingmok6 jik6 zi1 gaau1
Yalemohk yihk jī gāau
Definition
An intimate, like-minded, and lifelong friendship; bosom buddies.
writtenpeople
How it's used
This is a formal idiom used to describe a bond of absolute trust and mutual understanding. While it is perfectly understood in conversation, it carries a literary weight that makes it sound quite serious or poetic when used in daily life. It is more common to hear people describe their close friends as 老友 or 死黨 in casual settings.
Examples
The two of them have been intimate friends since they were little.
Related words
Common phrases
to become intimate friends
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a common adjective, but it is a noun phrase. You should use it with a verb like 係 or 成為 to describe the relationship, rather than using it to describe a person directly.
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.
