saan1 gou1 seoi2 dai1山高水低
Jyutpingsaan1 gou1 seoi2 dai1
Yalesāan gōu séui dāi
Definition
Unfortunate events; a serious accident, disaster, or death.
colloquialpeopleother
How it's used
This idiom functions as a euphemism for death or serious misfortune, often used when someone is embarking on a risky journey or dangerous task. It avoids the bluntness of talking about death directly, making it a culturally sensitive way to express concern for someone's safety. It is frequently preceded by the word 萬一 to emphasize the hypothetical nature of the danger.
Examples
He is traveling alone, and his family is very worried about him having an accident.
You need to be careful at work, what if something goes wrong?
Related words
Common phrases
in case of any unforeseen misfortune
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe minor inconveniences or small mistakes. It is reserved for life-threatening situations or serious emergencies, so using it for something trivial like missing a bus will sound overly dramatic or confusing.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Adjective
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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).
