cin1 zoi2 naan4 fung4千載難逢千载难逢

Jyutpingcin1 zoi2 naan4 fung4

Yalechīn jói nàahn fùhng

語句

Definition

Extremely rare; once in a lifetime; an opportunity or event that occurs only once in a thousand years.

colloquialdescriptionstime

How it's used

Emphasizes the extreme scarcity of an event or opportunity, carrying a slightly formal or literary weight despite being used in daily speech. It is almost exclusively used to describe positive, life-changing prospects rather than negative occurrences. Speakers often pair it with 嘅 to link it directly to the noun it modifies.

Examples

ni1呢go3個hai6係cin1千zoi2載naan4難fung4逢ge3嘅gei1機wui6會，nei5你jat1一ding6定jiu3要baa2把ak1握zyu6住。

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, you must seize it.

bin1邊jau5有gam3咁do1多cin1千zoi2載naan4難fung4逢ge3嘅hou2好si6事leon4輪dou3到ngo5我dei6哋aa4呀？

How could so many once-in-a-lifetime good things happen to us?

Common phrases

cin1千zoi2載naan4難fung4逢ge3嘅gei1機wui6會

a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

Common mistake

Learners often mistakenly use it to describe common rare events, but it should be reserved for truly exceptional, life-altering circumstances. It is not appropriate for everyday occurrences that are merely uncommon.