waang4 sei2 dim3 sei2橫死掂死横死掂死
Jyutpingwaang4 sei2 dim3 sei2
Yalewàahng séi dim séi
Definition
No option is good; doomed either way, so it doesn't really matter which one is chosen.
colloquialemotiondaily actions
How it's used
Expresses a sense of resignation when faced with multiple undesirable options. It implies that the outcome remains equally poor regardless of the choice made. People often use this to signal that they have given up on trying to find an ideal solution.
Examples
Either way it's miserable, so we might as well go to sleep early.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the literal meaning of death. It is a hyperbolic expression used to describe situations where all choices are equally bad, not a literal discussion about dying.
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.
