bun3 tiu4 jan4 meng6半條人命半条人命
Jyutpingbun3 tiu4 jan4 meng6
Yalebun tìuh yàhn mehng
Definition
Half-dead; used to describe someone who is extremely ill or exhausted.
colloquialhealthemotion
How it's used
This expression is a vivid, hyperbolic way to describe extreme physical depletion or severe illness. It is frequently paired with the verb 得返, which emphasizes that only a small fraction of one's vitality remains. While it sounds dramatic, it is a standard idiom used in everyday conversation to complain about heavy workloads or lingering flu symptoms.
Examples
After finishing this job, I am truly half-dead.
You are half-dead from sickness, why aren't you going to see a doctor yet?
Common phrases
to be left with half a life (to be half-dead)
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe someone who is literally dying or in a life-threatening medical emergency, as that would be insensitive and confusing. It is strictly for exaggerating the feeling of being completely drained or feeling terrible due to minor ailments.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
