fung6 mou4 leon4 gok3鳳毛麟角凤毛麟角
Jyutpingfung6 mou4 leon4 gok3
Yalefuhng mòuh lèuhn gok
Definition
Extremely rare and precious person or thing.
writtendescriptionspeople
How it's used
This idiom carries a literary and sophisticated tone, often used in formal writing or when someone wants to sound particularly eloquent in speech. It is reserved for describing something or someone that is not just uncommon, but highly valued or exceptional. Using it for mundane things will sound overly dramatic or sarcastic.
Examples
This kind of talent is truly rare, very hard to find.
How many rare experts do you think there are in this industry?
Related words
Common phrases
simply one of a kind
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a general word for 'rare' like 少見, but it specifically implies a positive, precious quality. Do not use it to describe things that are rare simply because they are bad or unpleasant.
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.
