diu3 jyu2釣魚钓鱼
Jyutpingdiu3 jyu2
Yalediu yú
Definition
To fish, or to nod off and doze.
- to fish; to catch fish using a hook and line
- slangto doze off; to nod off from sleepiness while sitting
colloquialdaily actionsother
How it's used
Beyond the literal act of angling, this term is widely used as a metaphor for nodding off while sitting upright. It captures the rhythmic, repetitive head-bobbing motion that resembles a fisherman's rod dipping into the water. It is a common way to describe someone falling asleep in a classroom or a boring meeting.
Examples
The weather will be good tomorrow, let's go fishing together.
He is dozing off, don't wake him up.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with standard words for sleeping like 瞓覺. Using 釣魚 to describe someone lying in bed or taking a nap is incorrect, as the term specifically implies the head-nodding motion of someone struggling to stay awake while seated.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
