| |
Idiom |
jyutping |
pinyin |
Meaning |
|
知足常樂
|
zi1 zuk1 soeng4 lok6 |
|
if one is happy with what he has, then he will always be happy |
|
|
手停口停
|
sau2 ting4 hau2 ting4 |
|
if one stops working, then no money to survive |
|
|
千金難買早知道
|
cin1 gam1 naan4 maai5 zou2 zi1 dou6*3 |
qian1 jin1 nan2 mai3 zao3 zhi1 dao4 |
if only I would have known earlier |
|
|
上樑不正下樑歪
|
soeng6 loeng4 bat1 zing3 haa6 loeng4 waai1 |
shang4 liang2 bu4*2 zheng4 xia4 liang2 wai1 |
if superiors (leaders; parents) are not good examples, their subordinates (followers, children) will behave unbecomingly |
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|
唔打唔相識
|
m4 daa2 m4 soeng1 sik1 |
|
if there are no mutual blows then no friendship grows |
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若要人不知，除非己莫為
|
jeok6 jiu3 jan4 bat1 zi1, ceoi4 fei1 gei2 mok6 wai4 |
ruo4 yao4 ren2 bu4 zhi1, chu2 fei1 ji3 mo4 wei2 |
if you don't want to be found out, don't do sth. (wrong) |
|
|
有早知，冇乞兒
|
jau5 zou2 zi1, mou5 hat1 ji4*1 |
you3 zao3 zhi1, mao3 qi3 er2 |
if you knew your present outcome earlier you wouldn't have made such a choice |
|
|
嫁雞隨雞
|
gaa3 gai1 ceoi4 gai1 |
jia4 ji1 siu2 ji1 |
if you marry a chicken, follow the chicken |
|
|
坐井觀天
|
zo6 zeng2 gun1 tin1 |
zuo4 jing3 guan1 tian1 |
ignorant and narrow-minded |
|
|
好嘅唔靈醜嘅靈
|
hou2 ge3 m4 leng4 cau2 ge3 leng4 |
|
ill news is too often true |
|
|
周身唔聚財
|
zau1 san1 m4 zeoi6 coi4 |
|
ill-at-ease |
|
|
孤陋寡聞
|
gu1 lau6 gwaa2 man4 |
gu1 lou4 gua3 wen2 |
ill-informed, uneducated |
|
|
目不識丁
|
muk6 bat1 sik1 ding1 |
mu4 bu4 shi4 (TW) / shi2 (PRC) ding1 |
illiterate; unable to even recognize the character 丁 |
|
|
黃粱美夢
|
wong4 loeng4 mei5 mung6 |
huang2 liang2 mei3 meng4 |
illusions of wealth and power |
|
|
岌岌可危
|
kap1 kap1 ho2 ngai4 |
ji2 ji2 ke3 wei1 [PRC], wei2 [TW] |
imminent danger; precarious situation |
|
|
永垂不朽
|
wing5 seoi4 bat1 nau2 |
yong3 chui2 bu4 xiu3 |
immortal; will last forever |
|
|
小不忍則亂大謀
|
siu2 bat1 jan2 zak1 lyun6 daai6 mau4 |
xiao3 bu4 ren3 ze2 luan4 da4 mou2 |
impatience in small matters can upset big plans; anger and haste hinder good counsel |
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|
威風凜凜
|
wai1 fung1 lam5 lam5 |
wei1 feng1 lin3 lin3 |
imposing; awesome; to look majestic |
|
|
非分之想
|
fei1 fan6 zi1 soeng2 |
fei1 fen4 zhi1 xiang3 |
improper or unbecoming thought or desire; inordinate aspiration |
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進退兩難
|
zeon3 teoi3 leong5 naan4 |
jin4 tui4 liang3 nan2 |
in a dilemma |
