mou4 lei4 tau4無厘頭无厘头
Definition
Nonsensical, irrelevant, or silly, often associated with a style of Hong Kong comedy.
- senseless; irrelevant; pointless; having no logical connection
- characterized by non-sequitur or absurd humor, typical of Stephen Chow films
How it's used
Originating from the Cantonese phrase 無頭無厘, this term describes actions or speech that lack any logical connection or coherent purpose. While it often carries a negative connotation of being pointless, it is also frequently used to describe a specific style of absurdist humor that is highly valued in local pop culture. It is not just about being boring, but rather about being unpredictably bizarre or completely out of context.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for simply being boring, but it specifically implies a lack of logic or a bizarre, disconnected quality. Do not use it to describe a situation that is merely dull or uninteresting, as that would be better expressed as 冇聊.
Grammar color guide
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
