baan1 mun4 lung6 fu2班門弄斧班门弄斧
Jyutpingbaan1 mun4 lung6 fu2
Yalebāan mùhn luhng fú
Definition
To show off one's meager skills in front of an expert.
neutralpeopleother
How it's used
This idiom is frequently used as a polite, self-deprecating remark when offering an opinion or performing a skill in the presence of someone more experienced. While it literally refers to displaying axe skills in front of the master carpenter Lu Ban, it functions as a way to show humility and respect for the other person's expertise. It is often used to preemptively soften the impact of one's own contribution.
Examples
I am showing off in front of an expert, I am really sorry.
Are you not afraid of being laughed at for showing off in front of the master?
Related words
Common phrases
to show off in front of others
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a boastful expression, but it is almost exclusively used to express modesty. Using it to describe someone else's behavior can sound like a direct insult or an accusation of arrogance.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
