saap3 hyut3 wai4 mang4歃血為盟歃血为盟
Jyutpingsaap3 hyut3 wai4 mang4
Yalesaap hyut wàih màhng
Definition
To seal an alliance with a blood oath, an ancient ritual of sipping blood to show absolute commitment to an agreement.
colloquialother
How it's used
This idiom is almost exclusively used in a metaphorical or ironic sense today to describe a very serious, solemn, or dramatic promise between people. It carries a heavy, archaic tone that makes it sound overly theatrical when applied to modern business or personal relationships. Use it when you want to emphasize the gravity of a pact or to mock the excessive seriousness of a situation.
Examples
They swore an oath in blood back then, who knew they would end up turning against each other.
Related words
Common phrases
swore an oath in blood back in the day
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
