aa3 mau6 zing2 beng2阿茂整餅啊茂整饼
Jyutpingaa3 mau6 zing2 beng2
Yalea mauh jíng béng
Definition
To do something completely pointless, redundant, or unnecessary.
colloquialpeopledaily actions
How it's used
This is a classic Cantonese xiehouyu, a two-part allegorical saying where the second half is often omitted by native speakers. The full phrase is 阿茂整餅，冇嗰樣整嗰樣, which translates to Mr. Mao making cakes, making things that are not needed. It carries a slightly mocking tone, suggesting that someone is creating unnecessary work for themselves or others.
Examples
You bought another phone again, that is really pointless.
Why did he change his name for no reason? It is just a waste of effort.
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often try to translate the literal meaning of making cakes, but the phrase is strictly used to criticize someone for doing something redundant or uncalled for. It is not used to describe actual baking or cooking.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
