saat3 gaai3殺戒杀戒
Jyutpingsaat3 gaai3
Yalesaat gaai
Definition
The Buddhist precept against killing or taking life; a prohibition against killing.
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How it's used
Primarily associated with Buddhist or Taoist contexts, this term refers to the formal vow or religious rule forbidding the taking of life. It is often used metaphorically in daily life to describe someone who has been avoiding a certain activity, such as eating meat or engaging in a competitive habit, but finally decides to indulge.
Examples
For the sake of his spiritual practice, he decided to break the prohibition against killing.
Do you necessarily have to break the prohibition against killing if you are a chef?
Related words
Common phrases
to break the prohibition against killing
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with general words for killing like 殺生, as 殺戒 specifically refers to the religious or moral vow itself rather than the act of killing.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
