| |
Idiom |
jyutping |
pinyin |
Meaning |
|
縱情聲色
|
zung3 cing4 sing1 sik1 |
zong4 qing2 sheng1 se4 |
let loose morally; indulge in debauchery |
|
|
順其自然
|
seon6 kei4 zi6 jin4 |
shun4 qi2 zi4 ran2 |
let nature take its course |
|
|
網開一面
|
mong5 hoi1 jat1 min6 |
wang3 kai1 yi1 mian4 |
let somebody off the hook |
|
|
以詞害意
|
ji5 ci4 hoi6 ji3 |
yi3 ci2 hai4 yi4 |
let the form of expression interfere with the meaning of a text; sacrifice clarity in using wrong words for expression |
|
|
稟神都冇句真
|
ban2 san4 dou1 mou5 geoi3 zan1 |
bing3 shen2 dou1 mao3 ju4 zhen1 |
lie through one's teeth; lie like a gas meter |
|
|
天有不測風雲
|
tin1 jau5 bat1 cak1 fung1 wan4 |
tian 1you3 bu2 ce4 feng1 yun2 |
life is unpredictible; sometimes life throws unexpected curveballs at you |
|
|
電燈膽
|
din6 dang1 daam2 |
|
lightbulb; unwelcome person |
|
|
一隻狗噉
|
jat1 zek3 gau2 gam2 |
|
like a dog (metaphor for difficult labours) |
|
|
飛蛾撲火
|
fei1 ngo4 pok3 fo2 |
fei1 e2 pu1 huo3 |
like a moth to a flame |
|
|
如火如荼
|
jyu4 fo2 jyu4 tou4 |
ru2 huo3 ru2 tu2 |
like a raging wildfire; daunting and vigorous (momentum) |
|
|
落花流水
|
lok6 faa1 lau4 seoi2 |
luo4 hua1 liu2 shui3 |
like fallen flowers carried away by the flowing water; utterly routed |
|
|
虎父無犬子
|
fu2 fu6 mou4 hyun2 zi2 |
hu3 fu4 wu2 quan3 zi3 |
like father like son (lit., "a papa tiger does not have a puppy for a son") |
|
|
有其父必有其子
|
jau5 kei4 fu6 bit1 jau5 kei4 zi2 |
you3 qi2fu4 bi4 you3 qi2 zi3 |
like father, like son |
|
|
貪新厭舊
|
taam1 san1 jim3 gau6 |
tan1 xin1 yan4 jiu4 |
like the new but not the old stuff |
|
|
好為人師
|
hou3 wai4 jan4 si1 |
hao4 wei2 ren2 shi1 |
like to be a master to others |
|
|
無遠弗屆
|
mou4 jyun5 fat1 gaai3 |
wu2 yuan3 fu2 jie4 |
limitless; there's no place that cannot be reached; capable of reaching anywhere; far-reaching |
|
|
揮之不去
|
fai1 zi1 bat1 heoi3 |
hui1 zhi1 bu4 qu4 |
linger on |
|
|
漏洞百出
|
lau6 dung6 baak3 ceot1 |
lou4 dong4 bai3 chu1 |
lit. one hundred loopholes (idiom); full of mistakes (of speech or article) |
|
|
耳邊風
|
ji5 bin1 fung1 |
er3 bian1 feng1 |
lit. wind past your ear; fig. sth you don't pay much attention to; in one ear and out the other |
|
|
知書識墨
|
zi1 syu1 sik1 mak6 |
|
literate |
