dik6 seoi2 sing4 bing1滴水成冰

Jyutpingdik6 seoi2 sing4 bing1

Yaledihk séui sìhng bīng

Definition

Freezing cold weather, literally meaning dripping water turns to ice.

colloquialweather

How it's used

Idioms like this are often used in a slightly exaggerated way to emphasize how uncomfortable the weather feels. While it literally describes water freezing instantly, locals use it to express that the temperature is biting or unusually harsh for the region. It adds a dramatic flair to casual complaints about the cold.

Examples

gam1今jat6日dung3凍dou3到dik6滴seoi2水sing4成bing1冰，zan1真hai6係jiu3要zoek3著do1多gin2件saam1衫。

It is freezing cold today, I really need to put on another layer.

ceot1出min6面dik6滴seoi2水sing4成bing1冰，nei5你zung6仲soeng2想heoi3去bin1邊dou6度wun6玩aa4呀？

It is freezing outside, where else do you want to go play?

Common phrases

dung3凍dou3到dik6滴seoi2水sing4成bing1冰

freezing cold to the point of ice forming

Common mistake

Do not use this in formal writing or professional reports, as it is a descriptive idiom meant for conversation. It is also geographically specific to extreme cold, so it sounds unnatural if used to describe a mild winter day in Hong Kong.