| |
Idiom |
jyutping |
pinyin |
Meaning |
|
彈丸之地
|
daan2 jyun2 zi1 dei6 |
dan4 wan2 zhi1 di4 |
tiny place |
|
|
過橋抽板
|
gwo3 kiu4 cau1 baan2 |
|
to abandon one's friends when one is finally safe (after a crisis) |
|
|
抛妻棄子
|
paau1 cai1 hei3 zi2 |
pao1 qi1 qi4 zi3 |
to abandon one's wife and children; run off one one's family |
|
|
牽牛上樹
|
hin1 ngau4 soeng5 syu6 |
|
to achieve an impossible goal |
|
|
拉牛上樹
|
laai1 ngau4 soeng5 syu6 |
|
to achieve an impossible goal |
|
|
馬到功成
|
maa5 dou3 gung1 sing4 |
ma3 dao4 gong1 cheng2 |
to achieve success |
|
|
懸崖勒馬
|
jyun4 ngaai4 laak6 maa5 |
xuan2 ya2 le4 ma3 |
to act in the nick of time before it is too late; |
|
|
白飯加色
|
baak6 faan6 gaa1 sik1 |
|
to add soy sauce to a bowl of white rice |
|
|
負荊請罪
|
fu6 ging1 cing2 zeoi6 |
fu4 jing1 qing3 zui4 |
to admit one's wrongs and ask for forgiveness |
|
|
明知故問
|
ming4 zi1 gu3 man6 |
ming2 zhi1 gu4 wen4 |
to ask about something one already knows |
|
|
旁敲側擊
|
pong4 haau1 zak1 gik1 |
pang2 qiao1 ce4 ji2 (Taiwan), pang2 qiao1 ce4 ji1 (PRC) |
to ask slyly |
|
|
傍敲側擊
|
pong4 haau1 zak1 gik1 |
pang2 qiao1 ce4 ji2 |
to ask slyly |
|
|
含沙射影
|
ham4 saa1 se6 jing2 |
han2 sha1 she4 ying3 |
to attack someone by innuendo/insinuations; to spread unfounded rumors |
|
|
童心未泯
|
tung4 sam1 mei6 man5 |
tong2 xin1 wei4 min3 |
to be a child at heart; to retain a child-like heart; despite being advanced in age one is still like a child at heart |
|
|
出將入相
|
ceot1 zoeng3 jap6 soeng3 |
chi1 jiang4 ru4 xiang4 |
to be a general outside the court and a premier within the court |
|
|
身經百戰
|
san1 ging1 baak3 zin3 |
shen1 jing1 bai3 zhan4 |
to be a veteran warrior; to have experienced many a war |
|
|
事急馬行田
|
si6 gap1 maa5 haang4 tin4 |
|
to be able to deal with a situation in an emergency; to be flexible, to adapt to circumstances in an emergency |
|
|
心煩意亂
|
sam1 faan4 ji3 lyun6 |
xin1 fan2 yi4 luan4 |
to be agitated and upset; to be emotionally upset |
|
|
生龍活虎
|
sang1 lung4 wut6 fu2 |
sheng1 long2 huo2 hu3 |
to be as lively and energetic as a dragon and tiger |
|
|
若即若離
|
joek6 zik1 joek6 lei4 |
ruo4 ji2 ruo4 li2 |
to be at arm's length with sb |
