baat3 zan6 tou4八陣圖八阵图
Jyutpingbaat3 zan6 tou4
Yalebaat jahn tòuh
Definition
The battlefield formations of Zhuge Liang, or a chaotic and confusing situation.
- literarythe legendary military formations designed by Zhuge Liang
- figurativea highly chaotic, complicated, or confusing situation
colloquialdescriptionsother
How it's used
Refers to the legendary tactical formation attributed to Zhuge Liang, but in modern conversation, it is used metaphorically to describe any physical space or situation that is confusingly complex and difficult to navigate. It carries a sense of being trapped or overwhelmed by disorder. It is frequently used with the particle 咁 to form a simile.
Examples
The design of this mall is like a maze, I cannot find the exit.
Related words
Common phrases
like a maze
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a simple puzzle or a minor mess, as it implies a level of complexity that makes movement or escape genuinely difficult. It is a literary reference that has become a common idiom for any confusing layout.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
