zi1 gei1知機知机
Jyutpingzi1 gei1
Yalejī gēi
Definition
To sense that danger, trouble, or an opportunity is coming.
- to sense danger or trouble is coming
- to sense an opportunity is coming
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Describing someone as知機 implies they possess a high level of social intelligence or street smarts. It is often used to praise someone for knowing when to leave a room, when to stop talking, or when to seize a favorable moment without being explicitly told. It carries a positive connotation of being tactful and alert to the atmosphere.
Examples
He is very quick to sense trouble, he left immediately when he saw the boss getting angry.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Mandarin term 機智, which means being clever or witty. While they share similar characters, 知機 focuses specifically on reading the room or sensing the timing of a situation, rather than general intellectual sharpness.
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.
