daa2 laan6 saa1 pun4 man6 dou3 duk1打爛沙盤問到篤打烂沙盘问到笃
Jyutpingdaa2 laan6 saa1 pun4 man6 dou3 duk1
Yaledá laahn sā pùhn mahn dou dūk
Definition
To ask persistent questions to get to the bottom of something; to investigate thoroughly.
colloquialcommunicationpeople
How it's used
This idiom vividly describes someone who insists on getting to the root of a matter, often to the point of being intrusive or exhausting for the listener. It implies a relentless pursuit of information, similar to breaking a sand table to see what is underneath. It is frequently used to describe people who are overly inquisitive or who refuse to let a topic go until every single detail is exposed.
Examples
Why are you asking so many questions to get to the bottom of this?
He is always digging for every detail, it is so annoying.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal description of breaking something, but it is strictly a figurative expression for persistent questioning. It is not used to describe physical destruction, only the act of prying for information.
Grammar color guide
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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.
