co1 jyun4 gam6 bin2搓圓㩒扁搓圆㩒扁
Jyutpingco1 jyun4 gam6 bin2
Yalechō yùhn gahm bín
Definition
Easy to bully, control, or manipulate; having no backbone or personal stance.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This idiom uses the imagery of kneading dough to describe someone who lacks a firm stance and is easily manipulated. It carries a slightly critical or pitying tone, suggesting that the person is too soft or compliant for their own good. It is most commonly used to describe people who are pushovers in social or professional settings.
Examples
He has no backbone and is always being pushed around by others.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal action of kneading something, but it is almost exclusively used metaphorically to describe a personality trait. Do not use it to describe actual physical objects like clay or dough.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
