mou5 gaa1 gaau3無家教无家教
Jyutpingmou5 gaa1 gaau3
Yalemóuh gā gaau
Definition
Ill-mannered, poorly disciplined, or having had a bad upbringing.
colloquialpeopleemotion
How it's used
This expression is a harsh social critique that attacks a person's upbringing rather than just their current behavior. It implies that the individual's parents failed to teach them basic manners or social norms. Because it is highly offensive and confrontational, it is rarely used in polite company or professional settings.
Examples
It is really ill-mannered for him to speak like that.
Why are you acting so poorly disciplined?
Common phrases
really ill-mannered
to call someone ill-mannered
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply being rude or annoying. Using this phrase is a serious personal insult that often escalates conflicts because it targets the person's family background.
Grammar color guide
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Adjective
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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.
