In this intermediate Cantonese lesson, you'll learn a phrase that helps you explain that something has been wasted
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| INTRODUCTION |
| David: Welcome to cantoneseclass101.com. I am David. |
| Melody: 大家好，又見面啦！我係Melody。(daai6 gaa1 hou2 ，jau6 gin3 min6 laa3 ！ngo5 hai6 Melody 。) |
| David: And today, we’ve got intermediate season 1, Lesson 19. Aiming High in Hong Kong. |
| Melody: Uhmm, 我哋聽到呢應該係個爸爸喺度鬧緊個女。(ngo5 dei6 teng1 dou2 ne1 jing1 goi1 hai6 go3 baa4 baa1 hai2 dou6 naau6 gan2 go3 neoi5 。) |
| David: Right. We’ve got a family fighting Cantonese between a father and his bad, bad daughter, he thinks. |
| Melody: 我覺得最後一句最有意思囉！(ngo5 gok3 dak1 zeoi3 hau6 jat1 geoi3 zeoi3 jau5 ji3 si1 lo1 ！) |
| David: Right. The daughter is very smart. |
| Melody: 唔, 冇錯。(m4 , mou5 co3 。) |
| David: So maybe she is in the right. We are going to take you to the dialogue now. This is casual Cantonese as always. Let’s get to it. |
| DIALOGUE |
| A: 你個衰女，又講大話！(A: nei5 go3 seoi1 neoi5, jau6 gong2 daai6 waa6 !) |
| B: 爸爸，對唔住，我下次唔敢喇。(. B: baa4 baa1, deoi3 m4 zyu6, ngo5 haa6 ci3 m4 gam2 laa3.) |
| A: 枉我咁錫你，俾你讀最好嘅學校。(A: wong2 ngo5 gam3 sek3 nei5, bei2 nei5 duk6 zeoi3 hou2 ge3 hok6 haau6.) |
| B: 我知錯喇！(B: ngo5 zi1 co3 laa6 !) |
| A: 你知唔知林肯好似你咁大嗰時有幾誠實呀？(A: nei5 zi1 m4 zi1 lam4 hang2 hou2 ci5 nei5 gam3 daai6 go2 si4 jau5 gei2 sing4 sat6 aa3 ?) |
| B: 我淨係知林肯好似你咁大嗰時...已經做咗總統喇！(B: ngo5 zing6 hai6 zi1 lam4 hang2 hou2 ci5 nei5 gam3 daai6 go2 si4... ji5 ging1 zou6 zo2 zung2 tung2 laa3 !) |
| David: Once more, a bit slower. |
| A: 你個衰女，又講大話！(A: nei5 go3 seoi1 neoi5, jau6 gong2 daai6 waa6 !) |
| B: 爸爸，對唔住，我下次唔敢喇。(. B: baa4 baa1, deoi3 m4 zyu6, ngo5 haa6 ci3 m4 gam2 laa3.) |
| A: 枉我咁錫你，俾你讀最好嘅學校。(A: wong2 ngo5 gam3 sek3 nei5, bei2 nei5 duk6 zeoi3 hou2 ge3 hok6 haau6.) |
| B: 我知錯喇！(B: ngo5 zi1 co3 laa6 !) |
| A: 你知唔知林肯好似你咁大嗰時有幾誠實呀？(A: nei5 zi1 m4 zi1 lam4 hang2 hou2 ci5 nei5 gam3 daai6 go2 si4 jau5 gei2 sing4 sat6 aa3 ?) |
| B: 我淨係知林肯好似你咁大嗰時...已經做咗總統喇！(B: ngo5 zing6 hai6 zi1 lam4 hang2 hou2 ci5 nei5 gam3 daai6 go2 si4... ji5 ging1 zou6 zo2 zung2 tung2 laa3 !) |
| David: And now, with the English translation. |
| A: 你個衰女，又講大話！(A: nei5 go3 seoi1 neoi5, jau6 gong2 daai6 waa6 !) |
| A: You're such a bad kid, lying again! |
| B: 爸爸，對唔住，我下次唔敢喇。(. B: baa4 baa1, deoi3 m4 zyu6, ngo5 haa6 ci3 m4 gam2 laa3.) |
| B: Dad, I'm sorry, I won't do it again. |
| A: 枉我咁錫你，俾你讀最好嘅學校。(A: wong2 ngo5 gam3 sek3 nei5, bei2 nei5 duk6 zeoi3 hou2 ge3 hok6 haau6.) |
| A: You're wasting my love, sending you to the best schools. |
| B: 我知錯喇！(B: ngo5 zi1 co3 laa6 !) |
| B: I know I was wrong. |
| A: 你知唔知林肯好似你咁大嗰時有幾誠實呀？(A: nei5 zi1 m4 zi1 lam4 hang2 hou2 ci5 nei5 gam3 daai6 go2 si4 jau5 gei2 sing4 sat6 aa3 ?) |
| A: Do you know Lincoln was very honest when he was your age? |
| B: 我淨係知林肯好似你咁大嗰時...已經做咗總統喇！(B: ngo5 zing6 hai6 zi1 lam4 hang2 hou2 ci5 nei5 gam3 daai6 go2 si4... ji5 ging1 zou6 zo2 zung2 tung2 laa3 !) |
| B: I only know Lincoln was already president by the time he was yours! |
| POST CONVERSATION BANTER |
| Melody: 唔,所以喺個對話入面呢 個女就講咗大話啦！咁佢 Daddy 鬧緊佢, 但係我覺得其實個女都幾聰明嗰喎！(m4 , so2 ji5 hai2 go3 deoi3 waa6 jap6 min6 ne1 go3 neoi5 zau6 gong2 zo2 daai6 waa6 laa1 ！gam2 keoi5 Daddy naau6 gan2 keoi5 , daan6 hai6 ngo5 gok3 dak1 kei4 sat6 go3 neoi5 dou1 gei2 cung1 ming4 go3 wo3 ！) |
| David: Yeah. She may have the intellectual edge on her father although I think she wanted him to calm down, this is probably not the best strategy. |
| Melody: 可能佢 Daddy 聽到呢句話呢 真係無話好講。(ho2 nang4 keoi5 Daddy teng1 dou2 ni1 geoi3 waa6 ne1 zan1 hai6 mou4 waa6 hou2 gong2 。) |
| David: Yeah. Maybe her approach is getting him so angry. |
| Melody: 冇錯。(mou5 co3 。) |
| VOCAB LIST |
| David: He can’t yell at her anymore. Anyway, let’s get on to our vocab for this lesson. |
| Melody: 衰女。(seoi1 neoi5。) |
| David: Bad girl. |
| Melody: 衰 女, 衰女, 講大話。(seoi1 neoi5, seoi1 neoi5, gong2 daai6 waa6。) |
| David: To lie. |
| Melody: 講 大 話, 講大話, 枉。(gong2 daai6 waa6, gong2 daai6 waa6, wong2。) |
| David: To waste. |
| Melody: 枉, 枉, 錫。(wong2, wong2, sek3。) |
| David: To love, to kiss. |
| Melody: 錫, 錫, 知錯。(sek3, sek3, zi1 co3。) |
| David: To know one is at fault. |
| Melody: 知 錯, 知錯, 誠實。(zi1 co3, zi1 co3, sing4 sat6。) |
| David: Honest. |
| Melody: 誠 實, 誠實, 嗰時。(sing4 sat6, sing4 sat6, go2 si4。) |
| David: At that time. |
| Melody: 嗰 時, 嗰時, 總統。(go2 si4, go2 si4, zung2 tung2。) |
| David: President. |
| Melody: 總 統, 總統, 淨係。 (zung2 tung2, zung2 tung2, zing6 hai6。) |
| David: Only. |
| Melody: 淨 係, 淨係。(zing6 hai6, zing6 hai6。) |
| VOCAB AND PHRASE USAGE |
| David: Let’s take a closer look at some of these words. Our first word is |
| Melody: 衰女。(seoi1 neoi5 。) |
| David: Bad girl. |
| Melody: 衰女, 如果係男仔嘅話就係衰仔。(seoi1 neoi5 , jyu4 gwo2 hai6 naam4 zai2 ge3 waa2 zau6 hai6 seoi1 zai2 。) |
| David: Bad boy. |
| Melody: 衰仔。(seoi1 zai2 。) |
| David: Bad boy. |
| Melody: 唔, 喺香港呢你通常會聽到好多父母都會用呢個詞。(m4 , hai2 hoeng1 gong2 ne1 nei5 tung1 soeng4 wui2 teng1 dou2 hou2 do1 fu6 mou5 dou1 wui2 jung6 ni1 go3 ci4 。) |
| David: Right and what’s the opposite again, a good boy or a good girl? |
| Melody: 乖女，乖仔。(gwaai1 neoi5 ，gwaai1 zai2 。) |
| David: Right. |
| Melody: 譬如話我哋通常會聽到啲父母話 衰仔衰女,點講你都唔聽話。(pei3 jyu4 waa6 ngo5 dei6 tung1 soeng4 wui2 teng1 dou2 di1 fu6 mou5 waa6 seoi1 zai2 seoi1 neoi5 ,dim2 gong2 nei5 dou1 m4 teng1 waa6 。) |
| David: Right. You are a bad boy and bad girl and you don’t listen to what we are saying. |
| Melody: 唔, 冇錯。(m4 , mou5 co3 。) |
| David: Right, our next word is something parents don’t like their kids to do. |
| Melody: 講大話。(gong2 daai6 waa6 。) |
| David: To tell lies. |
| Melody: 講大話。(gong2 daai6 waa6 。) |
| David: And it’s not just lies, it’s also exaggerating things. |
| Melody: 唔, 冇錯, 所以喺對話入面呢我哋聽到 你個衰女又講大話。(m4 , mou5 co3 , so2 ji5 hai2 deoi3 waa6 jap6 min6 ne1 ngo5 dei6 teng1 dou2 nei5 go3 seoi1 neoi5 jau6 gong2 daai6 waa6 。) |
| David: You are a bad girl telling lies again. |
| Melody: 唔, 喺而家呢個時代唔可以再聽你個女嘅話。(m4 , hai2 ji4 gaa1 ni1 go3 si4 doi6 m4 ho2 ji5 zoi3 teng1 nei5 go3 neoi5 ge3 waa6 。) |
| David: Right. Moving on, our next word is what? |
| Melody: 下一個詞係 錫。(haa6 jat1 go3 ci4 hai6 sek3 。) |
| David: To love or to kiss. |
| Melody: 錫, 錫有兩個意思, 第一個係表示疼愛, 譬如話爸爸媽媽都好錫佢。(sek3 , sek3 jau5 loeng5 go3 ji3 si1 , dai6 jat1 go3 hai6 biu2 si6 tung3 ngoi3 , pei3 jyu4 waa6 baa4 baa1 maa4 maa1 dou1 hou2 sek3 keoi5 。) |
| David: Right. Her father and mother both love her. So this isn’t a romantic kind of love. |
| Melody: 冇錯, 可能係爸爸媽媽對個仔或者係對寵物嘅嗰種愛。(mou5 co3 , ho2 nang4 hai6 baa4 baa1 maa4 maa1 deoi3 go3 zai2 waak6 ze2 hai6 deoi3 cung2 mat6 ge3 go2 zung2 ngoi3 。) |
| David: Right. So for instance, we could say her father and mother both love her. |
| Melody: 佢嘅爸爸媽媽都好錫佢。( keoi5 ge3 baa4 baa1 maa4 maa1 dou1 hou2 sek3 keoi5 。) |
| David: Or she is a bad girl but her parents still love her. |
| Melody: 佢係個衰女, 但係佢爸爸媽媽都好錫佢。(keoi5 hai6 go3 seoi1 neoi5 , daan6 hai6 keoi5 baa4 baa1 maa4 maa1 dou1 hou2 sek3 keoi5 。) |
| David: Okay. Melody, let’s talk a bit about the second meaning of this, which is to kiss. |
| Melody: 第二個意思係 親吻, 譬如話錫一下。(dai6 ji6 go3 ji3 si1 hai6 can1 man5 , pei3 jyu4 waa6 sek3 jat1 haa5 。) |
| David: It means to kiss briefly, to kiss a bit. |
| Melody: 冇錯, 或者可以話 錫一啖。(mou5 co3 , waak6 ze2 ho2 ji5 waa6 sek3 jat1 daam6 。) |
| David: Okay. What’s next? |
| Melody: 最後一個詞 知錯。(zeoi3 hau6 jat1 go3 ci4 zi1 co3 。) |
| David: To know one’s fault. |
| Melody: 知錯。(zi1 co3 。) |
| David: Or to know it was one’s own mistake. |
| Melody: 唔, 其實呢係從知道自己嘅錯變過嚟嘅。(m4 , kei4 sat6 ne1 hai6 cung4 zi1 dou6 zi6 gei2 ge3 co3 bin3 gwo3 lai4 ge3 。) |
| David: Yeah. So this is a contraction which is that’s quite a mouthful. What is it again? |
| Melody: 知錯, 知道自己嘅錯誤。(zi1 co3 , zi1 dou6 zi6 gei2 ge3 co3 ng6 。) |
| David: Right and this is common enough in Hong Kong that we can contract it to these two characters. |
| Melody: 知錯。(zi1 co3 。) |
| David: Right. He knows he is at fault. |
| Melody: 佢知錯喇！(keoi5 zi1 co3 laa3 ！) |
| David: My parents don’t know they are at fault. |
| Melody: 我嘅父母自己唔知錯。(ngo5 ge3 fu6 mou5 zi6 gei2 m4 zi1 co3 。) |
| David: Right. So this is our last word. |
| Melody: 知錯。(zi1 co3 。) |
| David: And with it, let’s move on to the grammar section. |
Lesson focus |
|---|
| David: Melody, what’s our grammar point today? |
| Melody: 枉我咁錫你！(wong2 ngo5 gam3 sek3 nei5 ！) |
| David: This is a phrase. |
| Melody: 冇錯。(mou5 co3 。) |
| David: Let’s hear it again. |
| Melody: 枉我咁錫你！(wong2 ngo5 gam3 sek3 nei5 ！) |
| David: In the dialogue, we hear this in the following line. |
| Melody: 枉我咁錫你！畀你讀最好嘅學校。(wong2 ngo5 gam3 sek3 nei5 ！bei2 nei5 duk6 zeoi3 hou2 ge3 hok6 haau6 。) |
| David: Right. We translated this as you are wasting my love sending you to the best school but it’s actually a really complicated set of ideas in Cantonese that’s difficult to translate. So we wanted to talk about what’s really going on. Let’s hear it again. |
| Melody: 枉我咁錫你！(wong2 ngo5 gam3 sek3 nei5 ！) |
| David: Now let’s break this down character by character. First is the character |
| Melody: 枉。(wong2 。) |
| David: This means in vain or wasted. |
| Melody: 枉。(wong2 。) |
| David: So someone is wasting something. |
| Melody: 冇錯。(mou5 co3 。) |
| David: And who is that person? |
| Melody: 喺對話入面係我, 因為佢話 枉我咁錫你！(hai2 deoi3 waa6 jap6 min6 hai6 ngo5 , jan1 wai6 keoi5 waa6 wong2 ngo5 gam3 sek3 nei5 ！) |
| David: Right. So it’s me in our dialogue which is the parent. |
| Melody: 冇錯。(mou5 co3 。) |
| David: I am wasting something. |
| Melody: 枉我。(wong2 ngo5 。) |
| David: To this, we add |
| Melody: 咁, 枉我咁.......(gam3 , wong2 ngo5 gam3 .......) |
| David: And that means in this way or in this manner. |
| Melody: 冇錯，我哋永遠要一齊用, 枉我咁.......(mou5 co3 ，ngo5 dei6 wing5 jyun5 jiu3 jat1 cai4 jung6 , wong2 ngo5 gam3 .......) |
| David: So this is the core of the pattern. |
| Melody: 枉我咁....... , 枉你咁....... , 枉佢咁....... (wong2 ngo5 gam3 ....... , wong2 nei5 gam3 ....... , wong2 keoi5 gam3 ....... ) |
| David: And we follow it up by what’s being wasted. In our dialogue, it’s the parents love. |
| Melody: 枉我咁錫你！(wong2 ngo5 gam3 sek3 nei5 ！) |
| David: So what this really means is something like look at how much love I’ve wasted on you. |
| Melody: 係喇, 冇錯, 枉我咁錫你！(hai6 laa3 , mou5 co3 , wong2 ngo5 gam3 sek3 nei5 ！) |
| David: And this is a really flexible pattern you are going to hear all the time. Let’s take a look at some other examples. |
| Melody: 唔, 譬如你有可能同你嘅男朋友或者女朋友話 枉我咁早到！(m4 , pei3 jyu4 nei5 jau5 ho2 nang4 tung4 nei5 ge3 naam4 pang4 jau5 waak6 ze2 neoi5 pang4 jau5 waa6 wong2 ngo5 gam3 zou2 dou3 ！) |
| David: Right. You set a meeting for 7 o'clock and they show up at 7:30. So you can say, it’s all been a waste showing up this early. |
| Melody: 枉我咁早到！(wong2 ngo5 gam3 zou2 dou3 ！) |
| David: Right. What’s wasted is my showing up this early. |
| Melody: 冇錯, 枉我咁早到！或者有陣時會話 枉我咁期待。(mou5 co3 , wong2 ngo5 gam3 zou2 dou3 ！waak6 ze2 jau5 zan6 si4 wui2 waa6 wong2 ngo5 gam3 kei4 doi6 。) |
| David: Right. You might hear this in a relationship too. |
| Melody: 枉我咁期待。(wong2 ngo5 gam3 kei4 doi6 。) |
| David: Right. What’s wasted are my expectations. |
| Melody: 冇錯, 枉我咁期待。(mou5 co3 , wong2 ngo5 gam3 kei4 doi6 。) |
| David: Right. One more example. |
| Melody: 唔, 除咗係用喺 我身上之外呢, 仲可以用 佢，譬如話枉佢咁早到，其他人都未嚟。(m4 , ceoi4 zo2 hai6 jung6 hai2 ngo5 san1 soeng6 zi1 ngoi6 ne1 , zung6 ho2 ji5 jung6 keoi5 ，pei3 jyu4 waa6 wong2 keoi5 gam3 zou2 dou3 ，kei4 taa1 jan4 dou1 mei6 lai4 。) |
| David: He is coming early and it’s a waste. No one else is here. |
| Melody: 枉佢咁早到，其他人都未嚟。(wong2 keoi5 gam3 zou2 dou3 ，kei4 taa1 jan4 dou1 mei6 lai4 。) |
| David: Right. He comes into the office at 7, but everyone else shows up at 9. One more time. |
| Melody: 枉佢咁早到，其他人都未嚟。(wong2 keoi5 gam3 zou2 dou3 ，kei4 taa1 jan4 dou1 mei6 lai4 。) |
| David: So our grammar point today is a powerful pattern. |
| Melody: 枉 中間加個人，跟住 咁。(wong2 zung1 gaan1 gaa1 go3 jan4 ，gan1 zyu6 gam3 。) |
| David: And then the thing that they have done in vain. For instance |
| Melody: 枉我咁錫你！ 枉佢咁早到! (wong2 ngo5 gam3 sek3 nei5 ！ wong2 keoi5 gam3 zou2 dou3 !) |
Outro |
| David: And that’s our lesson for today and if you have any questions, you can reach us by email at contactus@cantoneseclass101.com or leave a note on our site. |
| Melody: 我哋會隨時回覆你。(ngo5 dei6 wui2 ceoi4 si4 wui4 fuk1 nei5 。) |
| David: Right. I am David. |
| Melody: 我係 Melody。(ngo5 hai6 Melody 。) |
| David: And with that, that’s our show for today. |
| Melody: 希望下次可以再見，Bye bye. (hei1 mong6 haa6 ci3 ho2 ji5 zoi3 gin3 ，Bye bye .) |
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