zaan2 seoi1盞衰盏衰
Jyutpingzaan2 seoi1
Yalejáan sēui
Definition
To deliberately do something that is bound to fail, backfire, or lead to trouble.
colloquialdaily actionsemotion
How it's used
Focuses on the futility of an action that inevitably results in a negative outcome or unnecessary trouble. It often carries a tone of warning or cynical observation about someone's poor decision making. The character 盞 acts as a causative marker here, implying that the action itself creates or invites the misfortune.
Examples
Doing things like this will only lead to trouble for yourself.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with general words for bad luck, but it specifically describes an action that invites trouble upon oneself rather than just having bad luck happen to you.
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.
