fei1 wong4 tang4 daat6飛黃騰達飞黄腾达
Jyutpingfei1 wong4 tang4 daat6
Yalefēi wòhng tàhng daaht
Definition
To make rapid advances in one's career; to achieve great success and promotion.
colloquialwork
How it's used
This idiom carries a slightly formal or literary tone despite being used in daily speech to describe someone's rapid rise to power or wealth. It is often used with a hint of envy or admiration when comparing one's own modest situation to someone else's sudden success. It implies a trajectory that is both swift and highly visible.
Examples
He achieved great career success shortly after graduation, which is really impressive.
Do you really think that climbing the career ladder guarantees happiness?
Related words
Common phrases
to have a soaring career
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a general term for working hard, but it specifically refers to the result of success and status, not the process of working diligently.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
