# 唔該
## Chinese
### Etymology

From the negation particle 唔 (m4) and the character 該／该 (goi1, “should”), literally meaning "[this] should not [be done]", saying that what the other had done was not necessary or it was very kind of them to have done this.

### Pronunciation

* Cantonese
    (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): m$^4$ goi$^1$
    (Taishan, Wiktionary): m$^3$ goi$^1$
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: m$^4$ goi$^1$
*** Yale: m̀h gōi
*** Cantonese Pinyin: m$^4$ goi$^1$
*** Guangdong Romanization: m$^4$ goi$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /m̩²¹ kɔːi̯⁵⁵/
** (Taishanese, Taicheng)
*** Wiktionary: m$^3$ goi$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /m̩²² kᵘɔi³³/

### Phrase

唔該 (Cantonese)
* excuse me (to get attention)
       m$^4$ goi$^1$, ho$^2$ m$^4$ ho$^2$ ji$^5$ jiu$^3$ bui$^1$ bing$^1$ seoi$^2$ aa$^3$? [Jyutping]
       Excuse me, can I have a glass of ice water?
* please
       m$^4$ goi$^1$ nei$^5$ tung$^4$ ngo$^5$ tai$^2$ zyu$^6$ di$^1$ je$^5$. [Jyutping]
       Please keep an eye on my stuff.
** 2019, 紙情, 《有些愛　錯過了就回不去》, Hong Kong: 孤泣工作室, →ISBN, page 69:
       […] keoi$^5$ soeng$^2$ waan$^{4-2}$ waan$^{4-2}$ haa$^5$ zau$^6$ m$^4$ goi$^1$ ling$^6$ mik$^6$ muk$^6$ biu$^1$. [Jyutping]
       […] if he wants to play around, he should please find another target.
* thank you
    唔該嗮！／唔该嗮！ [Cantonese] ― m$^4$ goi$^1$ saai$^3$! [Jyutping] ― Thank you very much!

#### Usage notes

When 唔該／唔该 is used to mean "thank you," only use it to thank someone for something that you have requested or for small favors. Using it to thank someone for a greater favor such as a (gift, patronage, or applause) may be offensive. See 多謝／多谢 (do1 ze6).

#### Synonyms

* (thank you):
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 有勞, 感謝, 感恩 |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 謝謝, 多謝 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 謝謝, 謝謝你 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Malaysia | 謝謝 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 謝謝 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan) | 多謝, рахмат |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 謝謝, 感謝 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 唔該 †, 多謝 § |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 唔該 †, 多謝 § |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 唔該 †, 多謝 § |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 無該, 多謝 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 唔該 †, 多謝 § |
| Cantonese | Penang (Guangfu) | 唔該 †, 多謝 § |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 唔該 †, 多謝 § |
| Gan | Nanchang | 多謝 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 多謝, 恁仔細 § |
| Hakka | Xingning | 多謝 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 恁仔細 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (Zaoqiao; N. Sixian) | 恁仔細 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (Touwu; N. Sixian) | 恁仔細 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (Nanzhuang; N. Sixian) | 承蒙, 恁仔細 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (Shitan; N. Sixian) | 承蒙 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (Sanwan; N. Sixian) | 承蒙 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (Toufen; N. Sixian) | 承蒙 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (Gongguan; N. Sixian) | 承蒙你, 恁仔細, 感謝, 多謝 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (Zhuolan; N. Sixian) | 承蒙你, 恁仔細, 感謝, 多謝 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 多謝 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Wuluo, Ligang; S. Sixian) | 多謝 |
| Hakka | Kaohsiung (Meinong; S. Sixian) | 多謝 |
| Hakka | Kaohsiung (Shanlin; S. Sixian) | 感謝, 多謝, 承蒙 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 承蒙, 承蒙你, 阿里加多 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 勞瀝, 恁勞瀝, 承蒙, 承蒙你, 阿里加多 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 承蒙, 承蒙你, 恁仔細, 勞力, 阿里加多 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (Zhuolan; Raoping) | 感謝 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 勞力, 阿里加多 |
| Hakka | Hong Kong | 多謝 |
| Hakka | Singapore (Dabu) | 多謝 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 謝謝 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 多謝 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 謝謝, 起動 |
| Eastern Min | Fuqing | 多謝 |
| Eastern Min | Matsu | 謝謝, 多謝 |
| Eastern Min | Singapore (Fuqing) | 謝謝, 起動 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 感謝, 多謝, 費神, 勞力 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 道謝, 感謝, 費神, 勞力 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 多謝, 費神, 勞力 |
| Southern Min | Zhao'an | 多謝, 感謝 |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 多謝, 勞力 |
| Southern Min | New Taipei (Tamsui) | 勞力, 多謝, 阿里加多 |
| Southern Min | New Taipei (Sanxia) | 勞力 |
| Southern Min | New Taipei (Pingxi) | 勞力 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung | 多謝, 勞力, 感恩 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung (Cijin) | 勞力, 多謝, 感恩 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung (Hongmaogang, Siaogang) | 勞力, 謝謝, 感恩 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung (Dalinpu, Siaogang) | 勞力, 多謝, 感恩 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung (Tianliao) | 勞力, 多謝, 感恩 |
| Southern Min | Yilan | 多謝, 勞力, 感恩 |
| Southern Min | Yilan (Luodong) | 勞力, 多謝, 感恩 |
| Southern Min | Yilan (Toucheng) | 勞力, 多謝 |
| Southern Min | Changhua (Lukang) | 多謝, 勞力 |
| Southern Min | Taichung | 勞力, 多謝 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 多謝, 勞力, 感恩 |
| Southern Min | Tainan (Anping) | 勞力, 多謝, 感恩 |
| Southern Min | Hsinchu | 勞力, 多謝 |
| Southern Min | Kinmen | 勞力, 多謝 |
| Southern Min | Penghu (Magong) | 勞力, 多謝 |
| Southern Min | Penghu (Xiyu) | 勞力, 多謝 |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | 感謝 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 感謝, 費神, 多謝 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 多謝, 感謝 |
| Southern Min | Medan (Hokkien) | 感謝 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 㩼謝 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 㩼謝 |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 㩼謝 |
| Southern Min | Haifeng | 感謝 |
| Southern Min | Bangkok (Teochew) | 㩼謝 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 㩼謝, 感謝 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 無該 |
| Southern Min | Wenchang | 無該, 謝謝 |
| Southern Min | Haikou | 無該, 謝謝 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hainanese) | 無該 |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) | 唔該 †, 多謝 § |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Sanxiang) | 唔該, 多謝 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 謝謝, 謝謝儂, 多謝 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 謝謝儂, 交關感謝 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 謝謝你 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 多謝 |
| Note | † - when someone does you a favour; § - when someone gives you a gift | † - when someone does you a favour; § - when someone gives you a gift |