sei2 sei2 dei6 hei3死死地氣死死地气
Jyutpingsei2 sei2 dei6 hei3
Yaleséi séi deih hei
Definition
To do something with great reluctance because one has no other choice.
colloquialemotiondaily actions
How it's used
This phrase vividly captures the body language of someone who has lost an argument or is forced to comply with a demand they dislike. It implies a sense of defeat where the person has run out of excuses and must now perform the action with a sour expression. It is almost exclusively used to describe someone who previously resisted or argued against doing something.
Examples
He reluctantly went back to apologize to his boss.
Are you going to have to swallow your pride and admit you were wrong?
Related words
Common phrases
reluctantly admit one's mistake
reluctantly go to work
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply being unhappy or sad. It specifically requires a context where the person had a choice or a stance, but was eventually forced to abandon it and perform the action anyway.
Grammar color guide
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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).
