大話精 / 大话精
daai⁶ waa⁶ zing¹
In Cantonese, 'liar' is translated as 大話精 / 大话精 (daai⁶ waa⁶ zing¹).
The term is used to describe a person who habitually tells lies.
Meaning: one who tells lies (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of 大話 (daai6 waa6), meaning 'big lie' and 精 (zing1), a suffix used to denote a person characterized by a certain trait.
Which one should you use?
While 大話精 refers to a person who habitually tells lies, the phrase 大話 (daai6 waa6) alone refers to the lie itself.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
大話精 is a colloquial term. It can be used in a lighthearted or teasing manner, though it may be insulting depending on the tone used. For a more formal way to say liar, you can use 說謊者. In informal settings, 騙子 is also used to mean liar.
How do you pronounce it?
daai⁶ waa⁶ zing¹
Did you know?
- The character 精 in 大話精 literally means 'spirit' or 'essence'. In this context, it transforms a trait into a personality type, similar to calling someone a 'wizard' or 'sprite' of lying.
- The suffix 精 is used in other colorful Cantonese labels, such as 慳精 (haan1 zing1) for someone who is excessively stingy.
- The term 大話 (big talk) can also describe 'bragging' or 'boasting' rather than just falsehoods, making 大話精 a term for a blowhard as well as a liar.
Examples in context
- 佢係個騙子，唔可以相信佢啦！He's a liar, we can't trust him!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “liar” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
