baau3 bou1爆煲
Jyutpingbaau3 bou1
Yalebaau bōu
Definition
To exceed a limit such that a situation gets out of control.
colloquialemotionwork
How it's used
Originating from the image of a pressure cooker lid blowing off, this term is used to describe a breaking point in both personal mental health and large scale systems like public services or political situations. It implies that a situation has been accumulating tension for a long time and can no longer contain the pressure. It is highly idiomatic and carries a sense of inevitable crisis.
Examples
My work stress has been so high lately that I am about to snap.
If you keep arguing like this, things will blow up sooner or later.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a literal physical explosion of a pot, as it is strictly metaphorical for reaching a breaking point or a system failure.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
