cai4 dung1 je5 jyu5齊東野語齐东野语
Jyutpingcai4 dung1 je5 jyu5
Yalechàih dūng yéh yúh
Definition
A cock-and-bull story; absurd and unfounded words.
writtencommunicationother
How it's used
Originating from the writings of Zhuangzi, this idiom describes stories that are fantastical, unreliable, or completely groundless. It carries a strong sense of skepticism and is often used to dismiss claims that sound like tall tales or pure fabrications. While it is a formal idiom, it is occasionally used in speech to add a touch of literary flair when calling out someone for lying.
Examples
What he is saying is simply a load of nonsense.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a common adjective, but it is a noun phrase that functions as the object of a verb or a predicate. It is not used to describe a person directly, but rather the content of what they say.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
