saat3 laai6撒賴撒赖
Jyutpingsaat3 laai6
Yalesaat laaih
Definition
To act shamelessly, throw a tantrum, or be deliberately provocative and unreasonable.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
Focuses on the performative aspect of being unreasonable or throwing a tantrum to get one's way. It implies a sense of theatricality or deliberate annoyance, often used to describe someone who refuses to listen to reason and insists on creating conflict. It is frequently applied to children or adults acting in an immature, confrontational manner.
Examples
Why are you acting up and causing trouble here?
He is always looking for trouble, it is really annoying.
Related words
Common phrases
acting up right now
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply being angry. It specifically implies a lack of logic or a fabricated grievance used to provoke others, rather than a genuine reaction to a problem.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
