wo4 haai4和諧和谐
Jyutpingwo4 haai4
Yalewòh hàaih
Definition
Harmonious; friendly and peaceful with a gentle atmosphere and no conflict.
neutralpeopledescriptions
How it's used
While often used in a literal sense to describe peaceful relationships, the term has gained a strong secondary meaning in modern Chinese-speaking regions related to censorship and forced suppression of dissent. In casual Hong Kong Cantonese, it is sometimes used sarcastically to describe a situation where someone is being silenced or where a problem is being swept under the rug to maintain a facade of peace.
Examples
The couple gets along very harmoniously.
The atmosphere in this neighborhood is very harmonious.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 夾, which is the more common, informal way to say two people get along well or are compatible. Using 和諧 in casual conversation can sound slightly formal or even pretentious depending on the context.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
