傻
saa4
The English word "silly" is translated into Cantonese as 傻 (saa4).
傻 is used to describe someone showing a lack of good sense or wisdom. You can also use the phrase 傻瓜, which literally means "silly melon" and is used to call someone a "silly goose".
Meaning: foolish, showing a lack of good sense and wisdom (adj)
Which one should you use?
傻 often implies a level of harmless or naive silliness. In contrast, 笨 is a stronger term used to describe a lack of intelligence or being clumsy or stupid.
How does it change in a sentence?
To indicate a change of state, such as someone having become silly or having acted foolishly, you can add the aspect particle 咗 after the adjective to form 傻咗.
How do you pronounce it?
saa4
Did you know?
- In Cantonese, the term 傻 can describe a specific kind of 'foolish' devotion, such as 傻情, where someone is 'silly' for loving someone too much.
- Adding the particle 咗 to create 傻咗 can sometimes be used as a euphemism for having a mental breakdown or losing one's sanity.
- In Cantonese, describing someone as 'silly' using 傻 can sometimes be used as a term of endearment between couples, rather than an insult.
Examples in context
- 你真係個傻瓜！You are such a silly goose!
- 佢真係好傻。keoi5 zan1 hai6 hou2 so4.He is really silly.
- 呢個諗法好傻。ni1 go3 nam2 faat3 hou2 so4.This idea is very silly.
Example conversation
Ka Ming and Nga Ting are discussing a mistake at work.
- 家明 Ka Ming我啱啱做咗件好傻嘅事。ngo5 ngaam1 ngaam1 zou6 zo2 gin6 hou2 so4 ge3 si6.I just did something really silly.
- 雅婷 Nga Ting係咩？發生咗咩事？hai6 me1? faat3 sang4 zo2 me1 si6?Really? What happened?
- 家明 Ka Ming我唔小心整錯咗個數據。ngo5 m4 siu1 sam1 zing2 co3 zo2 go3 sou3 geoi3.I accidentally entered the wrong data.
- 雅婷 Nga Ting唔緊要，下次小心啲啦。m4 gan2 jiu3, haa6 ci3 siu2 sam1 di1 laa1.It's okay, just be more careful next time.
