bat1 jyun5 cin1 lei5不遠千里不远千里
Jyutpingbat1 jyun5 cin1 lei5
Yalebāt yúhn chīn léih
Definition
To take the trouble of traveling a long distance with enthusiasm.
neutralpeopletravel
How it's used
This is a formal idiom that carries a sense of admiration for someone's dedication or effort. While it is rooted in classical Chinese, it is frequently used in modern Cantonese to describe someone going out of their way to show support or loyalty. It often implies that the journey was difficult or inconvenient, highlighting the sincerity of the person's actions.
Examples
He travelled a long way to visit me, I am truly touched.
Do you really need to travel such a long distance just to buy food there?
Related words
Common phrases
to come from afar with great effort
Common mistake
Learners often use this in casual contexts where it sounds overly dramatic or sarcastic. It is best reserved for situations where the effort made is genuinely significant, rather than for minor trips.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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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).
