X + 到飛起

Extremely X

Level 4Sounds Like dou3 fei1 hei2

Use [Adjective/Verb] + 到飛起 (dou3 fei1 hei2) to say something is 'extremely' or 'off the charts' X. It literally means 'so X that one flies up.'

How It Works

The structure consists of a gradable adjective, a stative verb, or an action verb that can reach an extreme state, followed by the extent marker 到 (dou3) and the phrase 飛起 (fei1 hei2), which literally means 'to fly up.'

Key Usage Points:

  • Register: This is highly colloquial and common in spoken Cantonese. Avoid using it in formal writing.
  • Emotions, Physical States, and Complaints: This pattern is highly productive with feelings and physical states. For example, you will frequently hear 攰到飛起 (gui6 dou3 fei1 hei2) for 'extremely tired', 開心到飛起 (hoi1 sam1 dou3 fei1 hei2) for 'extremely happy', or 餓到飛起 (ngo6 dou3 fei1 hei2) for 'starving.' It is also extremely common for daily complaints in Hong Kong, especially regarding prices (貴到飛起, gwai3 dou3 fei1 hei2) and weather (熱到飛起, jit6 dou3 fei1 hei2).
  • Versatility: It can follow adjectives like 靚 (leng3, beautiful) or 忙 (mong4, busy). It also follows action verbs; for example, 打到飛起 (daa2 dou3 fei1 hei2) can describe a fierce physical fight OR a severe, one-sided beating.
  • Object Placement: When this pattern is used with a transitive action verb that takes a specific object, there are two natural structures. You can use the verb-copying structure Verb + Object + Verb + 到 + 飛起 (e.g., 老闆鬧我鬧到飛起), OR you can place the object between 到 and 飛起 (Verb + 到 + Object + 飛起, e.g., 老闆鬧到我飛起). Both are perfectly acceptable and mean 'The boss scolded me extremely badly.'
  • Lexical Note: On its own, the phrase 飛起 (fei1 hei2) can mean 'to dump' a partner, or to 'exclude', 'bypass', or 'leave someone out' of a plan or group. In this specific pattern, however, it functions strictly as an intensifier meaning 'extremely' or 'off the charts.'
  • Grammar Note: In Cantonese, 到 (dou3) is the standard marker for extent, whereas 得 (dak1) is used for manner. Learners with a Mandarin background often mistakenly use 得 (e.g., 忙得飛起) due to Mandarin interference, but in Cantonese, you must use 到 for this pattern.

Examples (6)

  1. 呢件衫靚到飛起，但係貴到飛起。

    This shirt is drop-dead gorgeous, but it's also incredibly expensive.

    Word by Word: This piece shirt beautiful to fly up, but expensive to fly up.

    Shows how the pattern can be used for both a positive attribute (beautiful) and a negative one (expensive) in the same sentence.

  2. 我呢排忙到飛起，完全冇時間去旅行。

    I've been extremely busy lately; I have absolutely no time to go traveling.

    Word by Word: I this period busy to fly up, completely not have time go travel.

    Commonly used with 忙 (mong4, busy) to express being overwhelmed by work or tasks.

  3. 嗰套戲悶到飛起，我睇咗一半就走咗。

    That movie was boring as hell; I left after watching half of it.

    Word by Word: That set movie boring to fly up, I watch [perfective] one half then leave [perfective].

    Demonstrates the use of the pattern with a negative state like 悶 (mun6, boring).

  4. 今日行咗成日，真係攰到飛起。

    I walked all day today, I'm truly exhausted.

    Word by Word: Today walk [perfective] whole day, really tired to fly up.

    Demonstrates the highly productive usage of this pattern with physical states and emotions, such as 攰 (gui6, tired).

  5. 佢哋兩個喺街度打到飛起。

    The two of them are beating each other up severely in the street.

    Word by Word: They two [people] at street-place hit to fly up.

    This shows the pattern used with an action verb 打 (daa2, to hit/fight) to describe an extreme result or intensity of action.

  6. 老闆鬧我鬧到飛起。

    The boss scolded me extremely badly.

    Word by Word: Boss scold me scold to fly up.

    Demonstrates the verb-copying structure for object placement: Verb + Object + Verb + 到 + 飛起. Alternatively, you can also say 老闆鬧到我飛起.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the manner marker 'dak1' instead of the extent marker 'dou3' due to Mandarin interference.

    靚得飛起
    靚到飛起

    In Cantonese, 'dak1' marks how you do something, but 'dou3' marks the result or extent. Learners with a Mandarin background often mistakenly use 'dak1' because Mandarin uses 得 for extent (e.g., 忙得飞起). However, in Cantonese, since 'flying up' is the extent of the state, you must use 'dou3'.

  • Using the pattern in formal or academic writing.

    Different Meaning該產品價格貴到飛起。
    該產品價格非常昂貴。

    'Dou3 fei1 hei2' is slangy and colloquial. In formal writing, use 'fei1 soeng4' (非常) or 'gik6 wai4' (極為).

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

X + 到飛起Level 4Extremely X

Learn This First

To understand 'X + 到飛起', you first need to know how the particle '到' is used to introduce extent or degree complements. You also need to be familiar with how adjectives function in Cantonese and how the directional marker '起' (up) is used in resultative compounds to create the literal meaning of 'flying up', which here serves as a figurative intensifier.

Words in This Pattern

飞起