Proverbs Flashcards
Learn commonly used proverbs in every day speech
Ghost patting the back of your neck
“Let out a secret unknowingly”
gwai2 paak3 hau6 mei5 jam2
鬼拍後尾枕
Dress up as a ghost, dress up as a horse
- “To play a role to deceive somebody”
- “To dress up for fun”
baan6 gwai2 baan6 ma5
扮鬼扮馬
Trick ghost to eat tofu!
“To lure someone into a trap, to trick someone”
aak1 gwai2 sik6 dau6 fu6
扮鬼扮馬
Ghost covering eyes
- “To fail to see something”
- “To fail to find something”
gwai2 am2 ngaan5
鬼揞眼
“Money makes the world go round”
yau5 chin2 sai2 dak1 gwai2 teui1 mo4
有錢使得鬼推磨
Ghost drawing
“Poor handwriting”
gwai2 waak6 fu4
鬼畫符
One more incense, one more ghost
- “The more people in the business, the less”
- “A foolish act to invite losses”
do1 go3 heung1 lou4 do1 jek3 gwai2
多個香爐多隻鬼
A ghost eats mud
- “To gabble or murmur”
- “To say something not clear to be understood”
gwai2 sik6 nai4
A chicken eats fireflies
“To understand without stating the obvious”
gai1 sik6 fong3 gwong1 chung4
To eat someone’s cart (car)
“To reap an excessively large profit from the other party in the deal”
sik6 yan4 jek3 gui1(che1)
To eat a dead cat
“To be a scapegoat”
sik6 sei2 maau1
3721
“The facts of the matter”
saam1 chaat1 yi6 sap6 yat1
Two headed snake
- “Someone works for both sides in a deal”
- “A servant of two masters”
leung5 tau4 se4
Ten tea pots and nine lids
“Demand outnumbers supply; not enough”
sap6 go3 cha4 wu2 gau2 go3 goi3
Hitting everyone on the boat with a punt pole
- “Blame a whole group of people for one person’s mistake”
- “To over generalize”
yat1 juk1 gou1 da2 yat1 syun4 yan4
In a crisis, a horse can move in the field
“To be flexible in an emergency”
si6 gap1 ma5 hang4 tin4
When one’s horse dies, one has to walk
“To keep pushing on in the face of great difficulty”
ma5 sei2 lok6 dei6 haang4
If a cow doesn’t want to drink you can’t force it’s head down
“If someone is unwilling to do something, it’s not possible to force them”
ngau4 m4 yam2 seui2, m4 gam6 dak1 ngau4 tau4 dai1
To pull a cow up a tree
“To try to do something that is almost impossible to achieve”
laai1 ngau4 seung5 syu6
The chickens are fighting in the coop
“Internal dispute or rebellion”
lung4 leui5 gai1 jok3 faan2
A chicken coop without a door
“A place where you can come and go as you please”
mou5 yim2 gai1 lung4
To pick up a dead chicken
- “To get a good deal unexpectedly”
- “To get the benefit of someone else’s hard work”
jap1 sei2 gai1
A dead chicken pushing back the cooking pot lid
“To refuse to admit when one is in the wrong”
sei2 gai1 chaang3 faan6 koi3
One chicken dies, one chicken crows
“When one person leaves as business or occupation, another will take it up”
yat1 gai1 sei2, yat1 gai1 ming4
To eat slippers rice
“To describe a man who is supported by a woman”
sik6 to1 haai2 faan6
To eat a dead cat
“To be a scapegoat”
sik6 sei2 maau1
The black dog gets the food, the white dog gets the punishment
“Somebody benefits from their wrong doing while the innocent gets blamed”
hak1 gau2 dak1 sik6, baak6 gau2 dong1 joi1
To boil telephone congee
“To talk for hours on the phone”
bou1 din6 wa2 juk1
A big stone crushes(kills) a crab
“To pressure somebody into doing something”
daai6 sek6 jaak3 sei2 haai5
Spill a basket of crabs
“Chaotic, Messy”
dou2 se2 lo4 haai5
A dog bites another dog’s bones
“Fighting among members of the same group”
gau2 ngaau5 gau2 gwat1
Hang up a sheep’s head to sell dog meat
- “To make dishonest advertising”
- “To cheat”
gwa3 yeung4 tau4, maai6 gau2 yuk6
Female pigs can climb trees
“There is no chance at all of something happening”
jyu1 na5 seung5 syu6
Straw covering pearl
“To hide one’s true wealth”
wo4 gon2 kam2 jan1 jyu1
A mouse pulls a turtle
“No clue where to start”
lou5 syu2 laai1 gwai1
An elephant flies across the river
- “To reach across the table for food”
- “To break a rule”
fei1 jeung6 gwo3 ho4
To pull up the planks after crossing the bridge
“To betray ones trust one the crisis is over”
gwo3 kiu4 chau1 baan2
Got hold of a deer but can’t get the horn/antler
“To be unable to make the best use of an opportunity”
juk1 dou2 luk6 m4 sik1 tyut3 gok3
Even buddha gets inflamed
“Intolerable! That’s the limit!”
fat6 dou1 yau5 fo2
Water enters the pig basket
“Money coming from many different sources”
jyu1 lung4 yap6 seui2
An old cat burns its whiskers
“An expert who makes a mistake in their own expertise”
lou5 maau1 siu1 sou1
To hit a snake and it crawls up the stick
“To ask from something or something extra by seizing a particular opportunity”
da2 se4 cheui4 gwan3 seung5
To stir fry squid
“To dismiss an employee”
chaau2 yau4 yu2
To slaughter a white crane
“To throw up after drinking”
tong1 baak6 hok6
A monkey got a tangerine
“Someone looks very happy as if he has discovered treasure”
ma5 lau1 jap1 dou3*2 gat1
Loose string monkey
- “A very naughty child”
- “A person not under control”
lat1 sing4*2 ma5 lau1
Ship tangerine
- “To look without shopping/buying”
- “To waste someone’s time”
wan6 gat1
A big tree has some dead branches
“There are good ones and bad ones in every group”
syu6 daai6 yau5 fu1 ji1
To throw a paper airplane
“To break a promise”
fong3 fei1 gei1
Such a big toad hopping around the street
“A deal is too good to be true!?” (rhetorical question)
bin1 yau5 gam3 daai6 jek3 gap3 na2 cheui4 gaai1 tiu3?
Verb: To Boil
bou1
bou1 din6 wa2 juk1
Verb: To Let Go / Place / Throw
fong3
fong3 fei1 gei1
Verb: To Hold / Pick
jap1
jap1 sei2 gai1
Verb: To Cover (as a lid)
kam2
wo4 gon2 kam2 jan1 jyu1
Verb: To Throw Off / Leave
lat1
lat1 sing4*2 ma5 lau1
Verb: To Bounce / Jump
tiu3
bin1 yau5 gam3 daai6 jek3 gap3 na2 cheui4 gaai1 tiu3?
Verb: To Ship / Transport
wan6
wan6 gat1
Verb: To Support
chaang3
sei2 gai1 chaang3 faan6 koi3
Verb: To Stir-fry
chaau2
chaau2 yau4 yu2
Verb: To Hit
da2
da2 se4 cheui4 gwan3 seung5
Verb: To Fly
fei1
fei1 jeung6 gwo3 ho4
Verb: To Walk
hang4/haang4
ma5 sei2 lok6 dei6 haang4
Verb: To Pull
laai1
laai1 ngau4 seung5 syu6
Verb: To Die
sei2
ma5 sei2 lok6 dei6 haang4
Verb: To Eat
sik6
sik6 to1 haai2 faan6
Verb: To Burn
siu1
lou5 maau1 siu1 sou1
Verb: To Push
teui1
yau5 chin2 sai2 dak1 gwai2 teui1 mo4
Verb: To Butcher / Slaughter
tong1
tong1 baak6 hok6
Verb: To Draw
waak6
gwai2 waak6 fu4
Verb: To Close / Cover (a vertical door)
yim2
mou5 yim2 gai1 lung4
Verb: To Drink
yam2
ngau4 m4 yam2 seui2, m4 gam6 dak1 ngau4 tau4 dai1
