搞咩鬼
gaau2 me1 gwai2
The English phrase "what the hell" is translated into Cantonese as 搞咩鬼 (gaau2 me1 gwai2).
搞咩鬼 is an intensive form of "what". It is often used as an interjection when something unexpected or nonsensical happens.
Meaning: an intensive form of what (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally means "doing what ghost". The first character 搞 means "to do" or "to make".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
搞咩鬼 is informal and can be used to express frustration, confusion or annoyance.
How do you pronounce it?
gaau2 me1 gwai2
Did you know?
- In Cantonese culture, ghosts are often blamed for inexplicable events or bad luck, which is why a 'ghost' is used here to emphasize the absurdity of a situation.
- The character 搞 is a highly versatile verb in Cantonese that can describe everything from 'arranging' a meeting to 'fixing' a machine or even 'causing' trouble.
- While 搞咩鬼 is an intensive, Cantonese speakers often add the particle 呀 at the end to soften the tone or turn it into a genuine question.
Examples in context
- 你喺度搞咩鬼呀？nei5 hai2 dou6 gaau2 me1 gwai2 aa3?What the hell are you doing here?
- 佢到底搞咩鬼？keoi5 dou2 dai2 gaau2 me1 gwai2?What the hell is he doing?
- 部電腦搞咩鬼呀？bou6 din6 nou5 gaau2 me1 gwai2 aa3?What the hell is wrong with this computer?
Example conversation
Zi Jian is confused by a strange email he received.
- 子健 Tsz Kin美玲，你睇下，呢封信搞咩鬼？Mei Ling, nei5 tai2 haa6, ni1 fung1 sin1 gao2 me1 gwai2?Mei Ling, look at this, what the hell is this letter about?
- 美玲 Mei Ling我唔知喎，好奇怪。ngo5 m4 zi1 wo3, hou2 kei4 gwaai3.I don't know, it's very strange.
- 子健 Tsz Kin佢叫我畀錢，搞咩鬼呀？keoi5 giu3 ngo5 bei2 cin2, gao2 me1 gwai2 aa3?It's asking me for money, what the hell?
- 美玲 Mei Ling快啲刪除佢，係騙局嚟！faai3 di1 saan1 ceoi4 keoi5, hai6 pin3 guk6 lai4!Delete it quickly, it's a scam!
