saa2 faa1 joeng2耍花樣耍花样
Jyutpingsaa2 faa1 joeng2
Yalesá fā yéung
Definition
To play tricks, deceive, or use underhanded schemes to hide the truth.
colloquialpeopledaily actions
How it's used
Carries a strong connotation of someone being slippery or intentionally deceptive to avoid responsibility or gain an unfair advantage. It is often used when a person is suspected of hiding the truth or creating unnecessary complications to confuse others. The phrase implies a sense of frustration or warning towards the person acting in this way.
Examples
Don't you try to pull any tricks on me.
Related words
Common phrases
always playing tricks
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply being creative or artistic, as the term is almost exclusively used in negative contexts regarding dishonesty or manipulation. It is not a neutral way to describe someone having new ideas.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
Particle
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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.
