ziu1 gaa3招架
Jyutpingziu1 gaa3
Yalejīu ga
Definition
To ward off, resist, withstand, or cope with, typically in response to invitations or requests.
colloquialdaily actionspeople
How it's used
Focuses on the feeling of being overwhelmed by external pressure or persistent advances rather than physical combat. It is almost always used in the negative or interrogative form to express a struggle to maintain composure or keep up with demands. When someone says they cannot招架, they are admitting that the intensity of a situation has exceeded their capacity to respond effectively.
Examples
They are so enthusiastic, I really cannot handle it.
Facing so much work, are you able to cope with it yet?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with physically blocking an object or a punch, as it is primarily used for abstract situations like social invitations, heavy workloads, or relentless questioning.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
