zaa3詐诈
Jyutpingzaa3
Yaleja
Definition
To pretend or feign a certain state to gain an advantage.
colloquialdaily actionspeople
How it's used
Focuses on the deceptive intent behind an action, often implying the person is trying to avoid responsibility or gain an advantage. It is frequently used as a prefix to another verb to describe the specific act being faked. Unlike the more formal 假裝, this is strictly for casual, everyday speech.
Examples
Don't pretend you don't know, it was clearly your mistake.
Related words
Common phrases
to play dumb
to feign illness
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 呃, which means to cheat or deceive someone directly. 詐 describes the act of faking a state or behavior, whereas 呃 focuses on the outcome of tricking someone.
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.
