dit3 zo2 lok6 dei6 naa4 faan1 zaa3 saa1跌咗落地嗱番乍沙
Jyutpingdit3 zo2 lok6 dei6 naa4 faan1 zaa3 saa1
Yaledit jó lohk deih nàh fāan ja sā
Definition
To make a poor excuse to cover up one's mistakes or failure in order to save face.
colloquialother
How it's used
This idiom vividly describes the action of someone who has fallen down and tries to grab a handful of sand to make it look like they intended to pick something up. It is used exclusively to mock someone who is caught in a mistake but tries to spin the situation to appear competent or deliberate. The tone is highly critical and often used when someone is being stubborn about their failure.
Examples
He is making excuses to save face and refuses to admit he was wrong.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a genuine accident or a simple mistake. It specifically implies a dishonest or manipulative attempt to maintain dignity after a public blunder.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
