| |
Idiom |
jyutping |
pinyin |
Meaning |
|
戰無不勝
|
zin3 mou4 bat1 sing3 |
|
invincible; never lose a battle; all-conquering |
|
|
身不由己
|
san1 bat1 jau4 gei2 |
shen1 bu4 you2 ji3 |
involuntarily, in spite of oneself |
|
|
牛頭不對馬嘴
|
ngau4 tau4 bat1 deoi3 maa5 zeoi2 |
niu2 tou2 bu4 dui4 ma3 zui3 |
irrelevant, incongruous, no sense |
|
|
發號施令
|
faat3 hou6 si1 ling6 |
fa2 hao4 shi1 ling4 |
issue orders; boss people around |
|
|
屍骨未寒
|
si1 gwat1 mei6 hon4 |
shi1 gu3 wei4 han2 |
it hasn't been long after a person died |
|
|
一言難盡
|
jat1 jin4 naan4 zeon6 |
yi4 yan2 nan2 jin4 |
it is a long story |
|
|
讀萬卷書不如行萬里路
|
duk6 maan6 gyun2 syu1 bat1 jyu4 haang4 maan6 lei5 lou6 |
du2 wan4 juan4 shu1 bu4 ru2 xing2 wan4 li3 lu4 |
it is better to travel ten thousand miles than to read ten thousand books |
|
|
一言既出駟馬難追
|
jat1 jin4 gei3 ceot1 si3 maa5 naan4 zeoi1 |
yi4 yan2 ji4 chu1 si4 ma3 nan2 zhui1 |
it is difficult to take back a promise |
|
|
難逃法網
|
naan4 tou4 faat3 mong5 |
nan2 tao2 fa3 wang3 |
it is hard to escape the long arm of the law |
|
|
勢成騎虎
|
sai3 sing4 ke4 fu2 |
shi4 cheng2 qi2 hu3 |
it is impossible to stop halfway or there are dire consequences of doing so |
|
|
巴結有錢人好過拜靈菩薩
|
baa1 git3 jau5 cin4*2 jan4 hou2 gwo3 baai3 leng4 pou4 saat3 |
ba1 jie5 you3 qian2 ren2 hao3 guo4 bai4 ling2 pu2 sa4 |
it is worthwhile to rub shoulders with the wealthy |
|
|
好戲在後頭
|
hou2 hei3 zoi6 hau6 tau4 |
hao3 xi4 zai4 hou4 tou5 |
it isn't over until fat lady sings (lit., "the good show comes later in time") |
|
|
禍不單行
|
wo6 bat1 daan1 hang4 |
huo4 bu4 dan1 xing2 |
it never rains but it pours |
|
|
小心駛得萬年船
|
siu2 sam1 sai2 dak1 maan6 nin4 syun4 |
xiao3 xin1 shi3 de2 wan4 nian2 chuan2 |
it pays a long way to be careful |
|
|
應有此報
|
jing1 jau5 ci2 bou3 |
|
it serves you right |
|
|
十年樹木
|
sap6 nin4 syu6 muk6 |
shi2 nian2 shu4 mu4 |
it takes ten years to grow a tree (...but a hundred for a person) |
|
|
一疋布咁長
|
jat1 pat1 bou3 gam3 coeng4 |
yi1 pi3 bu4 gan1 chang2 |
it's a long story |
|
|
珍珠都冇咁真
|
zan1 zyu1 dou1 mou5 gam3 zan1 |
|
it's definitely true |
|
|
堅過石堅
|
gin1 gwo3 sek6 gin1 |
|
it's definitely true |
|
|
得嘞
|
dak1 laak3 |
|
it's finally okay |
