din1 saam1 dou2 sei3顛三倒四颠三倒四

Jyutpingdin1 saam1 dou2 sei3

Yaledīn sāam dóu sei

形容詞

Definition

Very disorderly, chaotic, or confused.

colloquialdescriptionscommunication

How it's used

This idiom is frequently used to describe someone whose speech or logic lacks a clear sequence or coherence. It carries a strong sense of frustration, implying that the person is being unreliable or difficult to follow. It is most commonly applied to people rather than physical objects or messy rooms.

Examples

nei5你gong2講je5嘢din1顛saam1三dou2倒sei3四，ngo5我jyun4完cyun4全teng1聽m4唔ming4明。

You are speaking in such a confused way, I cannot understand you at all.

keoi5佢zou6做je5嘢seng4成jat6日din1顛saam1三dou2倒sei3四，hou2好naan4難。

He is always so disorganized in his work, it is hard to trust him.

Common phrases

gong2講je5嘢din1顛saam1三dou2倒sei3四

to speak in a confused and incoherent manner

zou6做si6事din1顛saam1三dou2倒sei3四

to be disorganized and chaotic in one's work

Common mistake

Avoid using this to describe a physically messy room or a cluttered desk, as it specifically refers to the disorder of thoughts, speech, or logical processes.