dou6 jat6 jyu4 nin4度日如年

Jyutpingdou6 jat6 jyu4 nin4

Yaledouh yaht yùh nìhn

語句

Definition

To pass the days as if they were years, describing a state where time passes very slowly and life is difficult.

neutraltimeemotion

How it's used

This idiom is used to describe a state of extreme boredom, suffering, or anticipation where time seems to stand still. Unlike standard descriptive adjectives, it carries a heavy, almost dramatic weight that implies the speaker is trapped in an undesirable situation. It is most frequently used in contexts involving tedious work, long waits, or isolation.

Examples

kwan3困喺hai2屋uk1企kei2冇mou5嘢je5做，zou6真zan1係hai6度dou6日jat6如jyu4年nin4呀。

Being stuck at home with nothing to do, it really feels like each day is a year.

nei5你hai6係mai6咪gok3覺dak1得faan1返gung1工dou6度jat6日jyu4如nin4年，soeng2想faai3快di1啲sau1收gung1工？

Do you feel like your work day is dragging on forever and you want to get off work soon?

Common phrases

gam2感gok3覺dou6度jat6日jyu4如nin4年

to feel like days are like years

gwo3過dak1得dou6度jat6日jyu4如nin4年

to live through days as if they were years

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a literal measurement of time. It is a hyperbolic idiom and should not be used to describe actual long durations like a long-term project or a multi-year contract, as it specifically highlights the subjective feeling of a single day passing with agonizing slowness.