dam3 bo1 zung1泵波鐘泵波钟
Jyutpingdam3 bo1 zung1
Yaledam bō jūng
Definition
To play for time, waste time, or drag out the clock.
colloquialworksports
How it's used
Originating from the football pitch, this term describes a player who keeps passing the ball around or holding onto it to waste time when their team is already winning. It is now widely used in workplaces to describe someone who intentionally works slowly or creates unnecessary delays to avoid finishing a task. It carries a negative connotation of being unproductive or evasive.
Examples
Stop dragging it out, just finish it quickly.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply being slow or inefficient. It specifically implies an intentional, strategic effort to delay a process or stall for time.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
