| |
Idiom |
jyutping |
pinyin |
Meaning |
|
抽絲剝繭
|
cau1 si1 mok1 gaan2 |
chou1 si1 bo1 jian3 |
painstakingly get to the bottom of sth; a meticulous investigation into sth. |
|
|
相形見絀
|
soeng1 jing4 gin3 zyut3 |
xiang1 xing2 jian4 chu4 |
pale into insignificance |
|
|
舐犢情深
|
saai2 duk6 cing4 sam1 |
shi4 du2 qing2 shen1 |
parental love |
|
|
養兒一百歲，長憂九十九
|
joeng5 ji4 jat1 baak3 seoi3 coeng4 jau1 gau2 sap6 gau2 |
yang3 er5 yi1 bai3 sui4 chang2 you1 jiu3 shi2 jiu3 |
parents worry about their children forever |
|
|
連消帶打
|
lin4 siu1 daai3 daa2 |
|
parry and counterattack |
|
|
夜夜笙歌
|
je6 je6 sang1 go1 |
ye4 ey4 sheng1 ge1 |
partying every night; a life of debauchery; a licentious lifestyle |
|
|
魚目混珠
|
jyu4 muk6 wan6 zyu1 |
|
passing off something fake as genuine |
|
|
食古不化
|
sik6 gu2 bat1 faa3 |
shi2 gu3 bu2 hua4 |
pedantic |
|
|
一貧如洗
|
jat1 pan4 jyu4 sai2 |
yi1 pin2 ru2 xi3 |
penniless, in utter destitution |
|
|
囊空如洗
|
nong4 hung1 ju4 sai2 |
nang2 kong1 ru2 xi3 |
penniless; broke; flat broke; moneyless |
|
|
生靈塗炭
|
sang1 ling4 tou4 taan3 |
sheng1 ling2 tu2 tan4 |
people suffering and in misery |
|
|
心滿意足
|
sam1 mun5 ji3 zuk1 |
xin1 man3 yi4 zu2 |
perfectly contented; perfectly satisfied |
|
|
險狀環生
|
him2 zong6 waan4 sang1 |
xian3 zhuang4 huan2 sheng1 |
perilous events in succession; dangerous situations on after another |
|
|
持之以恆
|
ci4 zi1 ji5 hang4 |
chi2 zhi1 yi3 heng2 |
persevere doing sth.; hold fast; persist |
|
|
磨杵成針
|
mo4 cyu5 sing4 zam1 |
mo2 chu3 cheng2 zhen1 |
perseverence spells success |
|
|
百折不撓
|
baak3 zit3 bat1 naau4 |
bai3 zhe2 bu4 nao2 |
persistent |
|
|
水滴石穿
|
seoi2 dik6 sek6 cyun1 |
shui3 di1 shi2 chuan1 |
persistent effort overcomes any difficulty |
|
|
不以人齒
|
bat1 ji5 jan4 ci2 |
|
perverse, inhuman, not to be regarded as one of humankind |
|
|
拾人牙慧
|
sap6 jan4 ngaa4 wai6 |
shi2 ren2 ya2 hui4 |
pick up phrases from sb and pass them off as one's own |
|
|
廢寢忘餐
|
fai3 cam2 mong4 caan1 |
|
plagued with anxiety (lit., "losing sleep and forgetting to eat") |
