mou5 gai2冇計冇计
Jyutpingmou5 gai2
Yalemóuh gái
Definition
To have no way to deal with someone or something, or to have no other alternatives.
colloquialdaily actionsemotion
How it's used
Expresses a sense of helplessness or resignation when facing an obstacle that cannot be overcome. It functions as an intransitive verb, so you cannot place an object directly after it. It is frequently used to explain why someone has to accept an unpleasant outcome.
Examples
He is always late, and I really have no way to deal with it.
Things have turned out like this, do you still have any other ideas?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not attempt to add an object after this phrase, such as saying 冇計佢. If you need to specify who or what you are helpless against, use 冇計可施 or add a prepositional phrase like 對住佢真係冇計.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
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Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
