daa2 teoi3 tong4 gu2打退堂鼓
Jyutpingdaa2 teoi3 tong4 gu2
Yaledá teui tòhng gú
Definition
To back out, retreat, or give up on something due to fear or difficulty.
colloquialdaily actionspeople
How it's used
Originating from the practice of beating a drum to signal the end of a court session, this idiom is used to describe someone quitting a task prematurely due to fear or difficulty. It carries a slightly critical or teasing tone, suggesting that the person is lacking perseverance or is being cowardly. It is frequently used in professional or competitive contexts to point out someone's lack of resolve.
Examples
Don't back out just because you hit a minor obstacle at work.
Related words
Common phrases
thinking of backing out
easily give up
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal action involving drums, but it is strictly a figurative expression for giving up. Do not use it to describe a physical retreat or a tactical withdrawal in a military sense.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
Particle
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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.
