Cantonese Proverbs in One Picture

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Blog of Cantonese Resources R esources CANTONESE PROVERBS PROVERBS IN ONE PICTURE

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Cantonese Audio in Study of Cantonese · 140 Comments February Febr uary 25, 2014 2014 · by writecantonese8 · in

Cantonese CEDICT Project 阿塗(Ah To), To), a graphic designer and part-time cartoonist who concerns about the survival of C antonese

in Canton and Hong Kong, has just published a comic called ” The Great Canton and Hong Kong Proverbs” on Hong Kong independent media “Passion “Passion Times“. Times“. The cartoon contains illustrations of 81 Cantonese proverbs.

Cantonese Dictionary on Web Browsers Cantonese Electronic Dictionary Cantonese Literature Cantonese Phonology Cantonese Subtitle Cantonese Tone Mobile Cantonese Dictionary Opinion Pictorial Chart of Chinese Radical Relation with Tai-Kadai Romanized Cantonese Karaoke Study of Cantonese Study of Other Languages

2/26/2014

Cantonese Proverbs in One Picture | 廣府話小研究Cantonese 廣府話小研究Cantonese Resources

ARCHIVES Select Month

IF YOUR GOLDENDICT DOESN’T SHOW PICTURES FROM WIKI …

Please download the latest version of Goldendict from http://bit.l http://bit.ly/rC2c8u. y/rC2c8u. No installation required. Just click "goldendict application" in the file to open the programme.

“The Great Canton and Hong Kong Proverbs” In 1559, Dutch artis artistt Pieter Bruegel Bruegel created the the oil painting painting “Netherlandish “Netherlandish Proverbs”” which illustrates many Dutch proverbs to prais Proverbs praisee the Dutch culture. I n 2014, Ah To imitated the idea and created “Great Canton and Hong Kong proverbs” proverb s” illustrating illustrating 81 Cantonese Cantonese proverbs proverbs to propaga propagate te the Cantonese culture and defend Cantonese.

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ARCHIVES Select Month

IF YOUR GOLDENDICT DOESN’T SHOW PICTURES FROM WIKI …

Please download the latest version of Goldendict from http://bit.l http://bit.ly/rC2c8u. y/rC2c8u. No installation required. Just click "goldendict application" in the file to open the programme.

“The Great Canton and Hong Kong Proverbs” In 1559, Dutch artis artistt Pieter Bruegel Bruegel created the the oil painting painting “Netherlandish “Netherlandish Proverbs”” which illustrates many Dutch proverbs to prais Proverbs praisee the Dutch culture. I n 2014, Ah To imitated the idea and created “Great Canton and Hong Kong proverbs” proverb s” illustrating illustrating 81 Cantonese Cantonese proverbs proverbs to propaga propagate te the Cantonese culture and defend Cantonese.

2/26/2014


81 Canto Cantonese nese P roverbs

Cantonese Language

(I attempt to finish the table in this week. And I will fix mistakes as soon as I finish it.)

Like 9,136 people like Cantonese Language. Language .

Ca C antonese Prov erbs

Meanings 鬼揞眼[gwái ám ngáahn]

(a ghost ghost cov ers one’s eyes) 1. to fail to see something 2. to f ail to find something 3. Freudian slip

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有錢使得鬼推磨[yáuh chín sái dāk gwái tēui

mòh] (if you have money, you can make a ghost push a millstone) eve ryt hing is is possible with money; money makes the world go round

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鬼拍後尾枕[gwái paak háuh méih jám]

(a ghost slaps the back o f one’s head) to let out a secret unknowingly

呃鬼食豆腐[ngāa [ngāak k gwái sihk dauh fuh](cheating

the ghost to eat bean curd) 1. to lure someone into a trap, to trick someone 2. used to express scepticism or disbelief,

2/26/2014

Cantonese Proverbs in One Picture | 廣府話小研究Cantonese Resources

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扮鬼扮馬[baahn gwái baahn máah]

Sign me up (to masquerade as a ghost and as a hor se) Pow ered by WordPress.com

to play a role to deceive somebody, to play a part to trick someone

鬼畫符[gwái waahk fùh]

(a ghost draws a talisman)

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illegible scribble, poor handwriting

放飛機[fong fēi gēi]

(to release aeroplane) to break a promise, to break a co mmitment; to fail to turn up for a date

飛象過河[fēi jeuhng gwo hòh]

(fly an elephant across the river)

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1. to break a rule 2. to reach across the table for food (a reference to the rules of Chinese chess)

過橋抽板[gwo kíuh chāu báan]

(to pull up the plank after c rossing the bridge) to betray one’s friends once the crisis is over, to abandon one’s friends once one is safe

佛都有火[faht dōu yáuh fó]

(even the Buddha gets inflamed) to a degree that is intolerable, “that’s the limit!”.

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老貓燒鬚[lòuh māau sīu sōu]

(old cat burns its whiskers) an expert who makes a careless mistake in their own expertise.

開籠雀[hōi lùhng jéuk]

(bird in an open cage)

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someone who chatters all the time

兩頭蛇[lèuhng tàuh sèh]

(two headed snake) 1. so meone who works for both sides in a deal 2. a servant of two masters

豬乸會上樹[jyū ná wúih séuhng sy uh](female

pigs can climb tree) When pigs fly

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拉牛上樹[lāai ngàuh séuhng syuh]

(to pull a cow up a tree) a vain attempt to do so mething

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煲電話粥[bōu dihn wá jūk]

(to boil telephone congee)

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to talk for hours on the phone.

冬瓜豆腐[dūng gwā dauh fuh]

(winter melon and tofu) 1. an emergency , a crisis 2. an unfortunate event, especially death.

刀仔鋸大樹[dōu jái geu daaih syuh]

(use a little knife to saw down a tree) use little capital to make big profit

掛羊頭賣狗肉[gwa yèuhng tàuh maaih gáu

yuhk]

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(using dogmeat in the place of lamb) Deceitful Act

倒瀉籮蟹[dóu sé lòh háaih]

(over turn a basket of crabs) messy; troublesome

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大石笮死蟹[daaih sehk jaak séi háaih]

(big stone crushes crab) an unequal contest

甩繩馬騮[lāt síng máah láu]

(loose string monkey) 1. a very naughty child 2. someone no longer under the control of their superior or guardian.

運桔[wahn gāt](transport tangerine)

to visit a shop or a person without any

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particular purpose, to be “just looking” in a shop (*Gang members extort money by f orcing shops to buy pots of tangerine)

鬼食泥[gwái sihk nàih]

(a ghost eats mud) to slur your words

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死雞撐飯蓋[séi g āi chaang faahn goi]

(dead chicken pushing back the cooking-pot lid) to fight to the bitter end, to refuse to admit one is in the wrong

炒魷魚 [cháau yáu yú]

(to stir-fry squid) to dismiss an employee

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食拖鞋飯[sihk tō háai faahn]

(to eat slippers rice) used to describe a man who is supported by a woman, i.e. he can keep his slippers on, because he doesn’t have to work.

食碗面反碗底[sihk wún mín fáan wún dái]

(to eat from a bowl and then turn it over) Go back upon somebody. Play somebody f alse. Betray a friend.

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食死貓[sihk séi m āau]

(to eat a dead cat) 1. to take the blame for something one has not done 2. to be a scapegoat, to “carry the can”

打蛇隨棍上[dá sèh chèuih gwan séuhng]

(to hit a snake and it crawls up the stick) to exploit a situation to one’s advantage, to ask for something or something extra by seizing a particular opportunity.

斷柄遮[tyúhn beng jē]

(broken handle umbrella) no certainty

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菠羅雞[bō lòh āgi]

(pineapple chicken) someone who takes advantage of other people; an exploiter

唔理三七廿一[m4 léih sāam chāt yah y āt]

(don’t care that three sevens are twenty one) 1. used to reject an objection to a course of action, “I don’t care” 2. regardless, irrespective

摸門釘[mó mùhn dē ng]

(to scrape the door nails) to go to visit someone but not find them at home, to arrange a meeting with someone but not to find them.

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樹大有枯枝[syuh daaih yáuh f ū j ī]

(a big tree has some dead branches) there are good and bad people in every group

和尚擔遮[wòh séung dāam jē]

(a monk holding an umbrella – “no hair no sky” , which is the homophone of “no law no heaven”) absolutely lawless

牛唔飲水唔撳得牛頭低[ngàuh m4 yám séui m4

gahm dāk ngàuh tàuh dāi] (if a cow doesn’t want to drink, you can’t force its head down) if someone is unwilling to do something it is not possible to force them; you can lead a horse

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to water but you can’t make it drink.

事急馬行田[sih g āp máah hàahng tìhn]

(in a crisis a horse can move in the field) to be flexible, to adapt to circumstances in an emergency (a reference to the rules of Chinese chess).

劏白鶴[tō ng baahk hohk/hók]

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(to slaughter a white crane) to vomit, to throw up

執死雞[jāp séi g āi]

(to pick up a dead chicken) 1. to take something which someone else has lost or thrown away 2. to take advantage of a situation 3. to start off a relationship with someone who has been rejected b y their former lover 4. to get the benefit of someone else’s hard work 4. to score an easy goal after a shot has been blocked by the goal keeper.

騎牛搵馬[kèh ngáuh wán máh]

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(to ride an ox looking for a horse) to be working one job but looking out for a better one

貼錯門神[tip cho mùhn sàhn]

(to paste up the door gods wrongly) to become hostile, to turn aggressive and nasty (since the door gods are normally pasted up so that they face each other, if put up wrongly they face away from each other).

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馬死落地行[máh séi lohk deih hàahng]

(when one’s horse dies one has to walk) to rely on oneself, to have to get oneself through a difficulty without help.

一雞死一雞鳴[yāt gāi séi y āt gāi mìhng]

(one chicken died, one chicken crow) when one person leaves a business or an occupation, another will take it up.

捉黃腳雞[jūk wòhng geuk g āi]

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(to catch a yellow-legged chicken) to catch someone having illicit sex; to arrange a trap or “set up” in which someone is blackmailed after being lured into having sex, to set a “honey trap”.

扯貓尾[ché m āau mèih]

(to pull a cat’s tail) two people supporting each other’s stories in order to avoid a problem; to lie one’s way out of a problem.

老鼠拉龜[lòuh syú lāai gwāi]

(a mouse pulls a turtle) at one’s wits’ end

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船頭尺[syùhn tàuh chek](plumb line on a ship)

someone who is always asking others for money (since the normal slang term is 度水 dohk séui which can mean “to borrow money” or “to measure water”)

豬籠入水[jyū lùhng yahp séui]

(pig basket enter water) to have many different ways to make m oney, to have money coming from m any different enterprises or sources.

濕水炮仗[sāp séui paau jéung]

(damp firecracker) 1. useless 2. someone with a calm temperament, who doesn’t lose their temper

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黑狗得食白狗當災[hāk gáu dāk sihk, baahk gáu

dō ng j ō i] (the black dog gets the food, the white dog gets the punishment) somebody benefits by their wrongdoing, while another person gets the blame.

水過鴨背[séui gwo ngaap bui]

(water off a duck’s back) to make no impression on (the memory), to forget (e.g. a lesson)

冇鞋挽屐走[móuh hàaih wáan kehk jáu]

(where there are no shoes, grab the clogs and run) to withdraw hurriedly from an awkward situation

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一竹篙打一船人[yāt jūk g ō u dá y āt syùhn yàhn]

(hit all the people on the ship with a punt pole) to overgeneralise in assigning blame, e.g. to blame a whole group of people for one person’s mistake. get tarred with the same brush

捉到鹿唔識脫角[jūk dóu lúk m4 s īk tyut gok]

(got hold of the deer but can’t get the horn) to be unable to make best use of an opportunity.

咁大隻蛤乸隨街跳[gam daaih jek gap lá chèuih

gāai tiu](such a big frog hopping around the street) too good to be true

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禾稈冚珍珠[wóh gón kám j ān jy ū ]

(rice stalks covering pearls) to pretend to be poor, to hide one’s true wealth (e.g. residents of public housing estates who are too wealthy to qualify for public housing)

冇掩雞籠[móuh yím g āi lùhng]

(doorless chicken coop) a place where you can come and go as you wish.

籠裏雞作反[lùhng léuih g āi jok fáan]

(inside the coop the chickens are fighting) dissent withing an organisation, an internal rift, factional fighting

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上面蒸鬆糕，下面賣涼粉[séuhng

mihn jīng sūng gōuz, hah mihn maaih lèuhng fán] (steaming sponge cake on

top, selling cool powder below) *cool powder = glass jelly in English a person who wears a lot on top but little below

十個茶壺九個蓋[sahp go chàh wú gáu go goi]

(ten tea pots and nine lids) demand out numbers supply; not enough

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盲人食湯丸[màahng yàhn sihk tō ng yún]

(a blind man eats glue pudding) know the score

食人隻車[sihk yàhn jek g ē ui]

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(to have eaten someone’s cart)to exploit or expropriate the belongings of others

賊佬試沙煲[chaahk lóu si sā bōu]

(a thief is testing a pot. A burglar tests if there is any one home by breaking a pot.) test the waters, especially before doing bad things

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Update:



2/26/2014

Ah To said that he will consider releasing the picture as poster.

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140 comments · ly t i n g · February 26, 2014 - 11:37 am Rep

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禾秆盖珍珠

· ly C h r i s Ek i b y o u g a m i · February 26, 2014 - 11:39 am Rep

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Cant ones e Di cti onar y Wi th Audio


2/26/2014

好厉害的画啊~ 劲啊

· KC · February 26, 2014 - 11:44 am Rep ly

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Saw a few more proverbs that i know, hope this helps: Spil a basket of crabs. Straw covering pearl. Cross bridge, pull plank

· Vivian · February 26, 2014 - 11:49 am Rep ly

賣魚佬沖涼／賣魚佬洗身 [ 無聲（腥）氣] 馬打架 [ 看蹄(題)] 企係城樓眼睇馬打 ( 事不關己)

t i n g · February 26, 2014 - 11:51 am Rep · ly

多只香炉多只鬼开笼雀風扇底下傾偈床底吹喇叭床底砍柴水過鴨背黑狗偷食，白狗當災單眼佬睇老婆：一眼睇曬風吹雞蛋殼，財散人安落打虎頭

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2/26/2014

烏龜過門檻隔牆有耳猴子偷桃咁大隻蛤毑隨街跳賣魚佬沖涼 – 冇腥氣賊佬試沙煲雞食放光蟲（心知肚明）盲佬食湯圓（心中有數）上山捉蟹（難）菠蘿雞（靠黐）上面蒸鬆糕下面賣涼粉兩隻黃狗來抬轎

· ly Chong Nee Keong · February 26, 2014 - 12:00 pm Rep

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may i know…. Big crab on the mountain? 2 people fighting? 4 person wave hand? 2 horse fighting? Gold inside the safe?

· ly Cant onese Proverbs in One Pictur e · February 26, 2014 - 12:04 pm Rep

…] […] Source / 內容連結 [

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2/26/2014

B. · February 26, 2014 - 12:05 pm Rep · ly

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You are amazing! 睇到笑死人!超正!

yskroc · February 26, 2014 - 12:07 pm Rep · ly

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缸瓦船打老虎

yskroc · February 26, 2014 - 12:09 pm Rep · ly

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十個盎九個蓋

B. · February 26, 2014 - 12:12 pm Rep · ly

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希望快啲有poster賣，可以成為好有代表性嘅香港手信!可以印成明信片，柸，柸墊，note book封面，枱墊…… 商機無限，阿塗加油!為港人增光!

joy g on g · February 26, 2014 - 1:12 pm Rep · ly

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Reblogged this on Meet Jiong.

Fello w Cant o · February 26, 2014 - 1:24 pm Rep · ly

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I really want a poster version to give to my poor canto speaking family m embers and my kids one day! Please let me know if it gets released as a poster!

· ly Chu janet · February 26, 2014 - 1:35 pm Rep

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好欣賞你的態度,用有建設性又有創意有趣味去證明廣東話的價值


2/26/2014

eg g · February 26, 2014 - 1:44 pm Rep ly ·

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籠裡雞作反狗咬狗骨咁大隻“甲娜”隧街跳

· ly A v er y fu n Ca n t on ese id iom s l ist w it h il lu st r a t ion | Sa n dr a Li-Ph a m · February 26, 2014 - 2:07 pm Rep

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[…] My daughter who couldn’t speak Cantonese for the life of her found this entry of some of more common Cantonese idioms with illustrations. It’s so fun to read these things again. So if you want to learn a bit of Cantonese, start here. [ …]

Sh irley · February 26, 2014 - 2:11 pm Rep · ly

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好正呀, 如有產品一定支持!

Ps yc he · February 26, 2014 - 3:27 pm Rep · ly

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吊高嚟賣

Eddie · February 26, 2014 - 3:38 pm Rep ly ·

1 鬼掩眼 2 有錢使得鬼推磨 3 鬼拍後尾枕 4 鬼畫符 5 多隻香爐多隻鬼 6 呃鬼食豆腐

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2/26/2014

7 扮鬼扮馬 8 放飛機 9 三七二十一[唔理37定係21,總之攪掂佢就得] 10 樹大有枯枝,[族大有乞兒] 11 床下底吹喇叭(低聲下氣) 12 佛都有火 13 老貓燒鬚 14 飛象過河 15 過橋抽板 16 放飛劍(吐痰) +[左邊葫蘆,糊塗,即係作者,胡撚塗] 17 和尚擔遮(無法無天) 18 事急馬行田 19 牛唔飲水點撳得牛頭低 20 無鞋挽屐走 21 馬死落地行 22 一竹篙打一船人 23 缸瓦船打老虎(盡地一煲) 24 黑狗偷食白狗當災 25 船頭尺(度水) 26 浸豬籠/豬籠入水 27 濕水炮杖,[點極都唔響] 28 捉到鹿[都]唔識脫角 29 [您唱到]拉牛上樹[咁難聽] 30 床下底破柴(包撞板)


2/26/2014

31 玻璃夾萬（襟睇唔襟用） 32 菠蘿雞(一味靠黐) 33 單眼佬娶老婆(一眼睇晒) 34 水過鴨背(點滴不留)[滴水不沾] 35 老鼠拉龜 36 一雞死一雞鳴 37 扯貓尾 38 捉黃腳雞(捉姦) 39 騎牛搵馬 40 貼錯門神 41 執死雞 42 籠裡雞作反+[無掩雞籠,自出自入] 43 禾桿冚珍珠 44 摸門釘 45 畫隻耳仔埋牆(唔聽流言)[隔牆有耳] 46 狗咬狗骨 47 咁大隻蛤蜊隨街跳 48 風吹雞蛋殼(財散人安落) 49 烏龜過門檻(看此一番) 50 雞食放光蟲(心知肚明) 51 打蛇隨棍上 52 鬼食泥 53 運桔 54 甩繩馬騮


2/26/2014

55 刀仔鋸大樹 56 賊佬試沙煲 57 (男人靠得住)豬毑會上樹 58 兩頭蛇 59 開籠雀 60 樓上蒸鬆糕樓下賣涼粉 61 兩隻黃狗來抬轎(一抬抬到城隍廟) 62 掛羊頭賣狗肉 63 大石扎死蟹 64 倒瀉蘿蟹 65 賣魚佬沖涼(冇曬聲氣) 66 煲電話粥 67 倒轉砂煲(冇飯開) 68 冬瓜豆腐, [三長兩短] 69 十個砂煲九個蓋 70 盲人食湯丸(心裡有數) 71 食死貓 72 食拖鞋飯 73 食左你隻車 74 食碗面反碗底 75 死雞撐飯蓋 76 炒魷魚 77 劏白鶴(飲醉酒嘔吐)[揸頸就命] 78 上山捉蟹(難)


2/26/2014

馬交friend,麻鳩煩] 79 企喺城樓睇馬打交 [

80 風扇底下傾偈(講風涼話)[耳邊風] 81 斷柄遮(無揸拿)

leedl · February 26, 2014 - 3:48 pm Rep ly ·

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十只煲，九只蓋

Beign et · February 26, 2014 - 3:50 pm Rep · ly

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涼粉 mean noodle and not powder. And 涼 describes the herbal quality, not The 粉 in

temperature. “Cool powder” is a very poor translation. 涼粉 is usually known as grass jelly. With that said, this piece is awesome!

· ly w r it ec a n to n ese 8 · February 26, 2014 - 3:54 pm Rep

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I simply want people to learn the literal meaning. I think I will add a bracket to tell people what “cool powder” is.

· ly Si k ang · February 26, 2014 - 3:54 pm Rep

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pass out green stool 非洲和尚

· ly 非常香港人 · February 26, 2014 - 6:07 pm Rep

上山捉蟹難上難玻璃夾萬有得睇冇得使

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2/26/2014

馬騮執到吉= 執到寶咁開心

· ly Iva n · February 26, 2014 - 6:36 pm Rep

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過橋抽板: 如果可以改畫成一個人過左河之後, 抽起條橋等後面0的人過唔到, 會更加傳神兩頭蛇：如果條蛇頭尾到係頭，會更加傳神

Iva n · February 26, 2014 - 6:37 pm Rep · ly

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btw, I like it very m uch

[GPGT] HAHA HAHA HAHA HAHA ....CAN YOU SPOT ALL 81 CANTONESE PROVERBS IN THIS

· ly PIC??????????????????? - ww w.h ardw arezone.com.sg · February 26, 2014 - 7:06 pm Rep

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[…] [GPGT] HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA… .CAN YOU SPOT ALL 81 CANTONESE PROVERBS IN THIS PIC??????????????????? Answers here […]

· ly Bana na · February 26, 2014 - 7:43 pm Rep

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Love this so much! Wld be so interesting to understand how they were formulated ie background? Will you make poster version? I will def buy 10!!

· ly Jes s ie · February 26, 2014 - 7:48 pm Rep

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Great stuff!!!! If you can add audio, it will be perfect!

· Terence Chiew · February 26, 2014 - 8:52 pm Rep ly

食得鹹魚抵得渴。

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2/26/2014

識少少，扮代表。鬼唔知你阿媽係女人。有姿勢，冇實際。早知冇乞兒。莫知前因莫羨人。

· C h a r l i e F l a r e · February 26, 2014 - 9:15 pm Rep ly

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太正啦！多謝晒！好鍾意 !! 小小建議，呢D都好啜核：扮豬食老虎，老鼠跌落天秤，狗口長不出象牙，雞手鴨腳，廁所點燈！

dariasblogs · February 26, 2014 - 9:51 pm Rep ly ·

Just wonderful thanks!

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