bai3 mun4 gang1閉門羹闭门羹
Jyutpingbai3 mun4 gang1
Yalebai mùhn gāng
Definition
To be shut out, turned away, or refused entry when visiting someone.
colloquialpeopledaily actions
How it's used
This idiom is almost exclusively used in the phrase 食閉門羹, which literally translates to eating a closed door soup. It describes the feeling of being rejected or denied entry, often when visiting someone unannounced or without prior confirmation. The imagery suggests being left outside a closed door, effectively receiving nothing but the sight of it.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
to be turned away
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal meal or a specific type of soup. Remember that it is a metaphorical expression for rejection, and the verb used is almost always 食.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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).
