Learn the most common idioms in Cantonese

syun4 dou3 kiu4 tau4 zi6 jin4 zik6

船到橋頭自然直

(n)

Everything will turn out for the best

m4 sai2 daam1 sam1, syun4 dou3 kiu4 tau4 zi6 jin4 zik6 gaa3 laa3.

唔使擔心，船到橋頭自然直㗎喇。

Don't worry, everything will turn out for the best.

syun4 dou3 kiu4 tau4 zi6 jin4 zik6

船到橋頭自然直

(n)

everything will turn out for the best

m4 sai2 daam1 sam1, syun4 dou3 kiu4 tau4 zi6 jin4 zik6 gaa3 laa3.

唔使擔心，船到橋頭自然直㗎喇。

Don't worry, everything will turn out for the best.

tau1 gai1 m4 dou2 sik6 zaa1 mai5

偷雞唔到蝕渣米

(p)

try to gain an advantage only to end up worse off

zou6 jan4 m4 hou2 gam3 taam1 sam1, jan1 zyu6 tau1 gai1 m4 dou2 sik6 zaa1 mai5.

做人唔好咁貪心，因住偷雞唔到蝕渣米。

Don't be greedy, otherwise, it will work against you.

tek3 saai3 goek3

踢曬腳

(n)

extremely busy

ngo5 mong4 dou3 tek3 saai3 goek3.

我忙到踢曬腳。

I'm up to my ears in work.

jat1 tin1 dou1 gwong1 saai3

一天都光曬

(p)

everything is going to be alright now

zung1 jyu1 m4 sai2 sau2 zyu6 go3 bei3 mat6 laa3, jat1 tin1 dou1 gwong1 saai3.

終於唔使守住個秘密喇，一天都光曬。

Finally, I don't need to keep the secret anymore, that I'm so relieved now.

jat1 gong2 cou4 cou1, cou4 cou1 zau6 dou3.

一講曹操，曹操就到

(p)

speak of the devil and he shall appear

gau2 m4 daap3 baat3

九唔搭八

(p)

completely irrelevant

keoi5 dou1 gau2 m4 daap3 baat3 ge2, ngo5 ming4 ming4 man6 keoi5 sik6 zo2 zou2 caan1 mei6, daan6 keoi5 daap3 ngo5 m4 zung1 ji3 heoi3 leoi5 hang4.

佢都九唔搭八嘅，我明明問佢食咗早餐未，但佢答我唔鐘意去旅行。

It's nonsense. I asked him whether he had eaten breakfast or not, but he said he does not like travelling.

sau2 zi2 ngaau3 ceot1 m4 ngaau3 jap6

手指拗出唔拗入

(p)

describe someone who helps out strangers instead of his/her acquaintances and friends

nei5 dou1 sau2 zi2 aau2 ceot1 m4 aau3 jap6 ge2! bong1 go3 ngoi6 jan4 dou1 m4 bong1 ngo5!

你都手指拗出唔拗入嘅！幫個外人都唔幫我！

Why didn't you help me but you helped the others?

sap6 waak6 dou1 mei6 jau5 jat1 pit3

十劃都未有一撇

(p)

things have not even begun to take shape

sap6 waak6 dou1 mei6 jau5 jat1 pit3 aa3, nei5 gei3 zyu6 m4 hou2 tung4 jan4 gong2 zyu6.

十劃都未有一撇呀，你記住唔好同人講住。

It's not yet confirmed. Don't tell anyone.

dit3 ngaan5 geng2

跌眼鏡

(p)

very surprised

gu2 m4 dou3 keoi5 wui5 haau2 dou2 jap6 daai6 hok6, zan1 hai6 dit3 ngaan5 geng2!

估唔到佢會考到入大學，真係跌眼鏡！

I'm so surprised that he got accepted to university!

sik6 sei2 maau1

食死貓

(p)

be made a scapegoat

ngo5 dou1 mou5 zou6 co3, m4 hou2 lam2 zyu6 sak1 ngo5 sik6 sei2 maau1!

我都冇做錯，唔好諗住塞我食死貓！

I've done nothing wrong. Don't try to make me the scapegoat!

bin1 jau5 gam3 daai6 zek3 gaap3 naa2 ceoi4 gaai1 tiu3

邊有咁大隻蛤乸隨街跳

(p)

something is too good to be true

bin1 jau5 gam3 daai6 zek3 gaap3 naa2 ceoi4 gaai1 tiu3, nei5 cin1 kei4 m4 hou2 seon3 aa3.

邊有咁大隻蛤乸隨街跳，你千祈唔好信呀。

It's too good to be true. Don't believe it.

daai6 ceot1 hyut3

大出血

(p)

spend large amount of money

ji4 gaa1 zau1 wai4 dou1 zou6 gan2 daai6 gaam2 gaa3, ho4 baau1 hou2 naan4 m4 daai6 ceot1 hyut3 gaa3 wo3.

而家周圍都做緊大減價，荷包好難唔大出血㗎喎。

Now there are big sales everywhere. It's hard to stop buying.

gok3 faa1 jap6 gok3 ngaan5

各花入各眼

(p)

beauty is in the eye of the beholder

kei4 sat6 gok3 faa1 jap6 gok3 ngaan5 ge3 ze1, bin1 go3 waa6 sau3 jat1 ding6 zeoi3 hou2 tai2.

其實各花入各眼嘅啫，邊個話瘦一定最好睇。

Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, being thin is not necessarily the best.

hou2 sam1 zoek6 leoi4 pek3

好心著雷劈

(p)

describe someone who helps often end up being resented by those whom he/she helps

zou2 zi1 m4 bong1 nei5 laa1, hou2 sam1 zoek6 leoi4 pek3!

早知唔幫你啦，好心著雷劈！

No good deed goes unpunished! I wish I had helped you!

gwai2 ng5 maa5 luk6

鬼五馬六

(p)

weird and absurd

go2 go3 jan4 zoek3 dou3 gwai2 ng5 maa5 luk6.

嗰個人著到鬼五馬六。

That person dresses very weird.