dou2 se2 lo4 haai5倒瀉籮蟹倒泻箩蟹
Jyutpingdou2 se2 lo4 haai5
Yaledóu sé lòh háaih
Definition
In a hectic, chaotic, or embarrassing situation where one is flustered and unable to manage.
colloquialdescriptionsdaily actions
How it's used
This idiom vividly captures the image of trying to catch crabs that have spilled out of a basket, which is impossible to do all at once. It is specifically used when someone loses control of a situation due to being overwhelmed or disorganized. It carries a sense of frantic, clumsy energy rather than just simple bad luck.
Examples
He is doing too many things by himself, ending up in a total chaotic mess.
Why did you make such a mess of things?
Related words
Common phrases
to cause a chaotic mess
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a simple mistake or a minor accident. It implies a state of total disorder where multiple things are going wrong simultaneously, making the person appear flustered and ineffective.
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.
