Diu lei
- interjection
- NSFW
:
¡Diu lei!
- When the computer crashed again, she couldn't help but shout Diu lei in exasperation.
Examples
-
Diu lei, this traffic is unbearable!
-
I can't believe he did that! Diu lei!
-
He slammed the door and muttered Diu lei under his breath.
-
You could tell how angry he was just by the way he spat out Diu lei.
-
When the computer crashed again, she couldn't help but shout Diu lei in exasperation.
-
He slammed the door and muttered Diu lei under his breath.
-
Diu lei! This traffic is unbearable!
Synonyms
17
8.4
A short phrase people say when they feel frustrated or disappointed
13
8.8
A quiet sound people make to show mild disapproval or annoyance
7
9.5
A short spoken word people use to show mild annoyance or disappointment
4
9.4
A short exclamation that shows annoyance or disappointment
1
8.6
A mild word people use to show they are annoyed about something
A mild exclamation people say when they feel annoyed or disappointed
Said when you are a little angry, annoyed, or surprised
A short cry people say when they are surprised, upset, or cannot believe something
How Frustrated
Surface Forms
Morphology
Diu + lei
The two components are not recognized English words (no lexical glosses provided) and the expression functions as an idiomatic expletive whose meaning is culture- and language-specific. A B1 learner who knows the listed ‘constituent words’ (or sees them as unanalyzed items) would not be able to derive the sense of strong frustration/mild curse from their parts, so this is opaque.
Etymology
Diu lei comes from Cantonese where diu is a rude word and lei means 'you', so it started as a short insult. That's why people now say Diu lei as a quick way to show strong frustration or annoyance.