dung3 gwo3 seoi2凍過水冻过水
Jyutpingdung3 gwo3 seoi2
Yaledung gwo séui
Definition
Hopeless; having a very slim chance of success or survival.
colloquialdescriptionsemotion
How it's used
Refers to a situation that has become completely hopeless or beyond repair. It carries a sense of finality, often used when someone realizes that an effort is no longer worth pursuing or that a person is in deep trouble. The imagery suggests that the warmth of life or success has drained away, leaving only coldness.
Examples
This business deal looks like a lost cause.
You still thinking of saving him? He is already beyond help.
Related words
Common phrases
life is in grave danger
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe literal temperature, as it is strictly an idiom for hopelessness. It is also quite informal, so avoid using it in professional or formal written contexts.
Grammar color guide
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Adjective
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Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
