mou4 zai3 jyu1 si6無濟於事无济于事
Jyutpingmou4 zai3 jyu1 si6
Yalemòuh jai yū sih
Definition
Of no help, ineffectual, or futile.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
Carries a formal or literary tone despite being used in spoken Cantonese to emphasize the hopelessness of a situation. It is often used to dismiss an action as a waste of effort when the outcome is already determined. It functions as a predicate and is frequently followed by sentence-final particles to soften the bluntness of the statement.
Examples
Whatever he does is futile, just give up.
Related words
Common phrases
completely futile
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a simple verb phrase, but it functions as an idiom that describes the state of an action being useless. Avoid using it in casual, lighthearted contexts as it sounds quite serious and final.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
