seoi2 fo2 bat1 jung4水火不容
Jyutpingseoi2 fo2 bat1 jung4
Yaleséui fó bāt yùhng
Definition
Incompatible, like water and fire; completely at odds or unable to coexist.
neutralpeopleemotion
How it's used
This idiom is used to describe a relationship where two parties are fundamentally incompatible or hostile. It conveys a sense of deep-seated conflict that makes cooperation impossible. While it can apply to abstract concepts or things that cannot coexist, it is most frequently used to describe people who simply cannot stand each other.
Examples
Their personalities are like oil and water, how can they be friends?
These two people are on bad terms and will never sit together.
Related words
Common phrases
personalities are completely incompatible
a relationship that is extremely hostile
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.
