seoi1衰
Jyutpingseoi1
Yalesēui
Definition
To decline, weaken, or grow feeble.
colloquialdescriptionsemotion
How it's used
Beyond the literal sense of physical weakness, this word is frequently used to describe someone's character or behavior as bad, mean, or unlucky. It carries a strong emotional weight when applied to people, often implying a sense of disappointment or moral failing. In casual speech, it can also function as a general exclamation for something that has gone wrong.
Examples
His health has been very poor lately, he is always sick.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Mandarin usage where it can mean unlucky or down on one's luck; in Cantonese, it is much more versatile and often refers to a person's bad attitude or poor quality.
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.
