bat1 zi1 tin1 gou1 dei6 hau5不知天高地厚

Jyutpingbat1 zi1 tin1 gou1 dei6 hau5

Yalebāt jī tīn gōu deih háuh

語句

Definition

Overconfident; having an exaggerated view of one's own abilities.

colloquialpeopledescriptions

How it's used

This idiom is used to criticize someone for being naive, arrogant, or reckless because they lack life experience. It carries a strong sense of disapproval and is typically directed at younger people or those who underestimate the difficulty of a task. It implies that the person is blind to the vastness of the world and their own limitations.

Examples

keoi5佢gam3咁sai3細go3個zau6就soeng2想cong3創jip6業，zan1真hai6係bat1不zi1知tin1天gou1高dei6地hau5厚。

He wants to start a business at such a young age; he really has no idea how hard the world is.

nei5你lin4連gei1基bun2本gung1功dou1都mei6未hok6學hou2好，zau6就soeng2想tiu1挑zin3戰daai6大si1師，m4唔hai6係bat1不zi1知tin1天gou1高dei6地hau5厚hai6係me1咩？

You haven't even mastered the basics yet, but you want to challenge a master; if that's not overestimating yourself, what is?

Common phrases

zan1真hai6係bat1不zi1知tin1天gou1高dei6地hau5厚

really has no idea how hard the world is

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a simple description of ignorance, but it specifically implies a lack of humility and a dangerous level of overconfidence. Do not use it to describe someone who is simply uneducated or uninformed about facts.