fu2 gwaa1 gon1苦瓜乾苦瓜干
Jyutpingfu2 gwaa1 gon1
Yalefú gwā gōn
Definition
A sad, gloomy, or long face, resembling a dried bitter melon.
colloquialfooddescriptions
How it's used
This expression vividly captures the visual resemblance between a wrinkled, shriveled piece of dried bitter melon and a person frowning or looking miserable. It is almost exclusively used to describe someone's facial expression rather than their internal emotional state. You will frequently hear it paired with the verb 擺 to indicate someone is actively putting on a gloomy look.
Measure word
faai3塊faiExamples
Why do you always have such a long face?
Seeing his sad face, something must have happened.
Related words
Common phrases
to put on a long face
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the actual food item, which is a common ingredient in Cantonese soups. Context is key, as the metaphorical use is always directed at a person's expression or demeanor.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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).
