bo1 coi3 dau6 fu6菠菜豆腐

Jyutpingbo1 coi3 dau6 fu6

Yalebō choi dauh fuh

Definition

Spinach and tofu dish, or figuratively, a major crisis or life-and-death situation.

spinach and tofu
figurativea major crisis or life-and-death situation

colloquialfoodother

How it's used

Originating from the culinary combination of spinach and tofu, which is believed to cause kidney stones, this term has evolved into a metaphor for a catastrophic situation or a sudden, messy crisis. It is often used to describe a state of total disarray or a situation that has gone completely wrong. While it can refer to death in specific, grim contexts, it is more frequently used in daily life to describe a chaotic or ruined outcome.

Examples

keoi5佢dei6哋loeng5兩go3個gaau2搞dou3到bo1菠coi3菜dau6豆fu6腐gam3咁joeng2樣。

The two of them have made a total mess of things.

gam1今ci3次zan1真hai6係bo1菠coi3菜dau6豆fu6腐laa3喇，dim2點syun3算hou2好aa4呀？

This time it is a real disaster, what should we do?

Common phrases

gaau2搞dou3到bo1菠coi3菜dau6豆fu6腐

to cause a total disaster

Common mistake

Do not use this term to describe the actual food dish in a restaurant, as it will be understood as a metaphor for disaster rather than a menu item. If you want to talk about the food, use 菠菜炒豆腐 instead.