seoi1 mat1 je5衰乜嘢
Jyutpingseoi1 mat1 je5
Yalesēui māt yéh
Definition
What did you get in for?; what crime did you commit? (usually asked to prisoners)
colloquialpeopleslang
How it's used
This expression is heavily associated with prison culture and is used to ask someone why they were arrested or convicted. It carries a blunt, informal tone that is generally only appropriate when speaking to someone you already know is incarcerated or has a criminal record. Using it with strangers or in formal settings can be perceived as highly aggressive or rude.
Examples
What did you get in for?
Related words
Common phrases
what did you get in for
Common mistake
Do not use this to ask why someone had a bad day or failed at a task. While 衰 can mean to fail or have bad luck, 衰乜嘢 specifically implies a legal or moral transgression that leads to punishment.
Grammar color guide
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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.
