daap6 po3 tit3 haai4 mou4 mik6 cyu3 ，dak1 loi4 cyun4 bat1 fai3 gung1 fu1踏破鐵鞋無覓處，得來全不費工夫踏破铁鞋无觅处，得来全不费工夫

Jyutpingdaap6 po3 tit3 haai4 mou4 mik6 cyu3 ，dak1 loi4 cyun4 bat1 fai3 gung1 fu1

Yaledaahp po tit hàaih mòuh mihk chyu ，dāk lòih chyùhn bāt fai gūng fū

Definition

To find something easily and by chance after having searched for it everywhere in vain.

colloquialother

How it's used

This idiom is used to describe the irony of finding something precious only when you have stopped actively looking for it. It carries a sense of pleasant surprise and relief, often highlighting that fate or luck played a bigger role than effort. While it is a classical phrase, it is frequently used in casual conversation to add a touch of wit to a situation.

Examples

wan2搵zo2咗hou2好noi6耐dou1都wan2搵m4唔dou3到，dim2點zi1知daap6踏po3破tit3鐵haai4鞋mou4無mik6覓cyu2處，dak1得loi4來cyun4全bat1不bei3費gung1工fu1夫。

I looked for it for ages without success, but then it just appeared out of nowhere.

nei5你hai6係mai1咪gok3覺dak1得daap6踏po3破tit3鐵haai4鞋mou4無mik6覓cyu2處，dak1得loi4來cyun4全bat1不bei3費gung1工fu1夫aa1呀？

Do you feel like you've stumbled upon it easily after searching so hard?

Common phrases

daap6踏po3破tit3鐵haai4鞋

to search high and low

cyun4全bat1不bei3費gung1工fu1夫

without any effort at all

Common mistake

Learners often struggle with the length of this phrase, as it is a complete sentence structure rather than a simple noun or verb. It is not meant to be broken up or shortened, and using it in a context where the effort was not actually significant can make the speaker sound sarcastic.