ceot1 zeon6 baak3 bou2出盡百寶出尽百宝
Jyutpingceot1 zeon6 baak3 bou2
Yalechēut jeuhn baak bóu
Definition
To use all possible means, tricks, or resources to achieve a goal.
colloquialdaily actionspeople
How it's used
This idiom describes a situation where someone exhausts every possible strategy, resource, or trick to achieve a goal. It carries a slightly dramatic or colourful tone, often implying that the person is desperate or trying very hard to overcome a difficult obstacle. It is frequently used when describing someone's intense effort in a competition or a negotiation.
Examples
He used every trick in the book to win the competition.
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal description of someone showing off physical items, but it is strictly a figurative expression for using tactics or methods. It is not used for simply showing off one's collection of things.
Grammar color guide
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Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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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.
