bun3 lang1 keng1半ｌａｎｇｋａｎｇ

Jyutpingbun3 lang1 keng1

Yalebun lāng kēng

Definition

To be caught in a dilemma, stuck halfway, or left in an awkward position.

colloquialdescriptionspeople

How it's used

Literally referring to a half-full bucket, this idiom describes someone who is not fully committed or lacks sufficient knowledge to act decisively. It carries a slightly critical tone, implying that the person is stuck in a state of incompetence or indecision. It is frequently used to describe someone who has only a superficial understanding of a subject.

Common phrases

bun3半tung2桶seoi2水si1師fu2傅

an amateur or incompetent master

Common mistake

Learners often confuse this with being physically half-full, but it is almost exclusively used metaphorically to describe a person's lack of depth or commitment. Do not use it to describe a physical object that is half-empty.