cat1 zeoi2 baat3 sit3七嘴八舌
Jyutpingcat1 zeoi2 baat3 sit3
Yalechāt jéui baat sit
Definition
Everyone talking at once in a lively, confusing, or opinionated chatter.
colloquialpeoplecommunication
How it's used
This idiom vividly captures the chaotic atmosphere of a group discussion where no one is waiting for their turn to speak. It carries a slightly negative connotation of disorder or lack of focus, rather than a productive exchange of ideas. It is frequently used to describe situations where a simple decision becomes impossible because too many people are voicing conflicting opinions simultaneously.
Examples
Everyone is talking at once, I do not know who to listen to.
During the meeting everyone was talking over each other, it was deafeningly loud.
Related words
Common phrases
talking all at once
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe a healthy or orderly debate, as it specifically implies a lack of structure and excessive noise. It is not a formal way to say people are discussing something, but rather a way to complain about the confusion caused by the noise.
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.
