dou2 mai5倒米
Jyutpingdou2 mai5
Yaledóu máih
Definition
To mess up, ruin a business, or act as a hindrance while trying or pretending to help.
colloquialworkpeople
How it's used
Originating from the superstition that spilling rice is a sign of bad luck and financial loss, this term describes someone who acts as a liability despite their intention to help. It is frequently used to describe employees who inadvertently sabotage a company's reputation or sales. The term carries a strong sense of frustration and is often used to criticize someone whose presence or actions actively hinder progress.
Examples
Stop messing things up, you are just making it worse.
He really ruined it this time, causing the whole deal to fall through.
Related words
Common phrases
a jinx who ruins everything they touch
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a simple mistake or a clumsy accident. It specifically implies that the person's involvement is counterproductive and harmful to the overall outcome or business interests.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
