dan6 dung1 gu1燉冬菇

Jyutpingdan6 dung1 gu1

Yaledahn dūng gū

動詞

Definition

To demote someone; to experience a job demotion.

slangworkslang

How it's used

Originating from the Hong Kong Police Force, this term refers to the practice of transferring an officer to a less desirable or lower-ranking position, often involving desk work or a remote station. It carries a strong sense of being sidelined or punished professionally. While it remains a common piece of office slang, it is distinctly informal and should be avoided in professional or formal settings.

Examples

keoi5佢zou6做co3錯je5嘢，git3結gwo2果bei2俾lou5老sai3細dan6燉dung1冬gu1菇。

He messed up, and as a result, the boss demoted him.

nei5你ging1驚m4唔ging1驚bei2俾jan4人dan6燉dung1冬gu1菇aa3呀？

Are you worried about getting demoted?

Common phrases

bei2俾jan4人dan6燉dung1冬gu1菇

to be demoted

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a literal cooking term because it contains the word for stewing mushrooms. It is strictly used as a metaphor for demotion and has no relation to actual food preparation in modern conversation.