戇大呆
gōng-tōa-tai
The Hokkien word for "idiot" is 戇大呆 (gōng-tōa-tai).
戇大呆 is used to describe a person of low general intelligence. In slang, you may also encounter the term Bua-tsia 瓜仔, which literally means "melon boy" but is used to call someone a fool or an idiot.
Meaning: person of low general intelligence (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
戇大呆 is a compound made of three parts: 戇 (stupid), 大 (big) and 呆 (silly/blank).
How do you pronounce it?
gōng-tōa-tai
Did you know?
- In some parts of the Hokkien-speaking world, the phrase 戇大呆 can undergo a 'semantic flip' where it is used affectionately to describe a person who is clumsily charming rather than actually stupid.
- The word 呆 specifically evokes a visual of someone staring into space, making the term more about a person's 'empty' state of mind than their actual IQ.
- The component 瓜 (melon) in the slang term 瓜仔 provides a way to insult someone's intelligence through a euphemism, which is considered much more subtle than using the blunt 戇大呆.
Examples in context
- 伊是個戇大呆。I si ko ang-tai-ai.He is an idiot.
- 汝真是一个戇大呆。Lu chin si tsi̍t-ê ang-tai-ai.You are truly an idiot.
- 彼个戇大呆真笨。Hit-ê ang-tai-ai tsin bèn.That idiot is so stupid.
Example conversation
Xiaowen is teasing Jiahao for making a silly mistake.
- 曉雯 Hiau-bun家豪，你怎麼把鹽當成糖？Ka-hô, lí án-chuá beh kán iÛn-á chò thâng-á?Jiahao, how could you mistake salt for sugar?
- 家豪 Ka-hao對不起，我沒注意到。Tùi-put-khí, guá bô chú-ì kàu.Sorry, I didn't notice.
- 曉雯 Hiau-bun你真的是個戇大呆！Lí chin-sī chi̍t-ê góng-tuā-ngâu!You really are an idiot!
- 家豪 Ka-hao好啦，我知道了。Hó-lah, guá chai-kàu-liáu.Alright, I get it.
