daai6 se4 o1 niu6大蛇痾尿大蛇疴尿
Jyutpingdaai6 se4 o1 niu6
Yaledaaih sèh ō niuh
Definition
Something that starts with grand momentum or a lot of fanfare but ends up having very little substance or result.
colloquialdescriptionsslang
How it's used
This idiom vividly describes someone who is extremely slow, inefficient, or lacks urgency in completing a task. It draws a humorous comparison to the way a large snake might slowly and laboriously release waste. It is a colorful, slightly informal way to criticize someone's lack of productivity.
Examples
He works like a slow-moving snake, it is so slow it makes me want to throw up.
Don't be so sluggish with your work, can you hurry up a bit?
Related words
Common phrases
working at a snail's pace
Common mistake
Do not use this in a professional or formal setting, as the imagery is crude and can be considered rude or insulting to the person you are addressing.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
