seoi2 fo2水火

Jyutpingseoi2 fo2

Yaleséui fó

Definition

Water and fire; opposing forces or extreme dangers.

neutralnaturedescriptions

How it's used

This term is almost exclusively used in the idiomatic sense of being incompatible or dangerous rather than referring to the literal elements. It frequently appears in the four character idiom 水火不容 to describe people who are fundamentally opposed or constantly clashing. Using it to talk about actual water and fire in a kitchen or nature setting sounds overly dramatic or literary.

Examples

seoi2水fo2火bat1不jung4容，keoi5佢dei6哋loeng5兩go3個dim2點joeng2樣zou6做pang4朋jau5友aa4呀？

They are like water and fire, how can they be friends?

nei1呢dou6度seoi2水fo2火mou4無cing4情，nei5你faai3快di1啲zau2走laa1啦。

Water and fire are merciless here, you should leave quickly.

Common phrases

seoi2水fo2火bat1不jung4容

incompatible like water and fire

seoi2水fo2火mou4無cing4情

water and fire are merciless

Common mistake

Do not use this to describe a literal mix of water and fire, as it will sound like you are reciting a poem or a proverb. If you just want to talk about water and fire as separate things, simply say 水同火.