faan1 wan4 fuk1 jyu5翻雲覆雨翻云覆雨
Jyutpingfaan1 wan4 fuk1 jyu5
Yalefāan wàhn fūk yúh
Definition
To be fickle and constantly change one's mind, or to make love.
- figurativeto be fickle and constantly change one's mind; to play tricks
- literaryto make love; to have sexual intercourse
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
While this idiom is often used to describe someone who is fickle or deceitful, it carries a strong secondary meaning referring to sexual intercourse. Because of this double meaning, it is often used in a slightly suggestive or mocking tone when applied to people's behavior. It is essentially a literary idiom that has been adopted into spoken Cantonese, so it sounds more sophisticated or dramatic than using plain words like 呃人.
Examples
He is always shifting his ground and his words are completely untrustworthy.
This person loves to play tricks, you really shouldn't trust him.
Common phrases
to have a fickle personality
to use deceitful tactics
Common mistake
Be careful using this in a professional or formal setting, as the sexual connotation is widely known and can make the listener feel uncomfortable or think you are making a crude joke.
Grammar color guide
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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.
