saat3 fong2撒謊撒谎
Jyutpingsaat3 fong2
Yalesaat fóng
Definition
To lie; to tell a lie with the intent to deceive.
colloquialcommunication
How it's used
While 撒謊 is understood in Cantonese, it is considered a formal or written term borrowed from Mandarin. In everyday spoken Cantonese, the idiomatic expression 講大話 is almost exclusively used to mean to lie. Using 撒謊 in casual conversation can sound overly formal or even slightly pretentious.
Related words
Common phrases
to tell a lie
Common mistake
Learners often use 撒謊 because it appears in textbooks, but native speakers will find it unnatural in daily life. Stick to 講大話 to sound like a local.
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.
