Definition
活该 (huó gāi) is a colloquial, emphatic way to say 'serves someone right' — always for a negative outcome the person brought on themselves. It is stronger and more slangy than 该 (gāi), which also means 'deserve' but can apply to both positive and negative results and is neutral in tone.
verb
(colloquial) serves someone rightdeserved (of a negative outcome)
Examples
- ，，活该！Tā zǒng shì bù tīng quàn, xiànzài chū shì le, huó gāi!He never listens to advice — now something happened, serves him right!
- ，活该。Nǐ kǎoshì qián bù fùxí, kǎo bù hǎo yě huó gāi.You didn't review before the exam, so you deserve to do poorly.
- ，活该。Tā piàn le nàme duō rén, huó gāi méi rén zài xiāngxìn tā.He cheated so many people — it serves him right that no one trusts him anymore.
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