do1 jyu4 ngau4 mou4多如牛毛
Jyutpingdo1 jyu4 ngau4 mou4
Yaledō yùh ngàuh mòuh
Definition
Countless; as numerous as the hairs on an ox.
writtendescriptions
How it's used
This idiom is a formal, literary expression used to emphasize an overwhelming quantity. While it is perfectly understood in spoken Cantonese, it carries a slightly dramatic or bookish tone that makes it stand out in casual conversation. Use it when you want to highlight that something is not just plentiful, but excessively or annoyingly so.
Examples
The complaint letters here are truly as numerous as ox hair.
Do you think these problems are as numerous as ox hair?
Related words
Common phrases
problems are as numerous as ox hair
Common mistake
Avoid using this in very casual, everyday situations where a simpler word like 好多 or 數唔晒 would be more natural. Because it is a four-character idiom, it can sound overly formal or even sarcastic if applied to trivial matters.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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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.
