bat1 fu6 zung3 mong6不負眾望不负众望
Definition
To live up to everyone's expectations; to not let others down.
How it's used
This idiom is a formal expression often used in news, political speeches, or official announcements to describe someone who has successfully met the high hopes placed upon them. While it is a four character idiom, it is frequently integrated into spoken Cantonese sentences to add a sense of gravity or sincerity. It carries a strong connotation of responsibility toward a group or the public rather than just an individual.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this as a negative, thinking it means to disappoint someone, but it is strictly positive. It describes the act of fulfilling expectations, so using it with a negative particle like 唔 before it creates a double negative that is grammatically confusing and rarely used.
Grammar color guide
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
