caat3 cok3 haai4擦錯鞋擦错鞋
Jyutpingcaat3 cok3 haai4
Yalechaat chok hàaih
Definition
To backfire when trying to flatter or suck up to one's boss, potentially angering them instead.
colloquialworkpeople
How it's used
This idiom is a clever play on the common slang 擦鞋, which means to flatter or brown-nose someone in power. By adding 錯, it describes a situation where the attempt to curry favor backfires, often because the person misread the boss's mood or chose the wrong approach. It carries a sense of irony and is frequently used to mock someone who tried too hard to impress but failed miserably.
Examples
keoi5佢ji5以wai4為paak3拍maa5馬pei3屁jau5有jung6用，dim2點zi1知caat3擦co3錯haai4鞋，gaau2搞dou3到bei2俾lou5老sai3細naau6鬧。
He thought sucking up would work, but he ended up offending the boss instead.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply making a mistake at work. It specifically refers to a failed attempt at flattery or social maneuvering, not a technical error or a poor performance in a task.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Particle
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Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
