fan4 kam4 zyu2 hok6焚琴煮鶴焚琴煮鹤
Jyutpingfan4 kam4 zyu2 hok6
Yalefàhn kàhm jyú hohk
Definition
To ruin or waste beautiful, valuable, or artistic things.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong sense of regret or indignation regarding the destruction of something refined or beautiful for a crude, practical purpose. It is frequently used in contexts involving high culture, such as music, literature, or fine food, where the perpetrator is seen as lacking the appreciation to understand the value of what they are ruining.
Examples
Mixing expensive red wine with soda is a total waste of good stuff.
Related words
Common phrases
simply a waste of art
Common mistake
Avoid using this for everyday waste like throwing away leftovers or broken plastic items, as it is reserved for things that have aesthetic or cultural value.
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.
