gaak3 hong4 jyu4 gaak3 saan1隔行如隔山
Definition
Different trades are worlds apart; it is difficult for outsiders to understand the skills and knowledge of another profession.
How it's used
This idiom is used to explain why someone lacks understanding of a field outside their own expertise. It emphasizes that the barrier between professions is not just about effort, but about the fundamental difference in specialized knowledge and experience. It is often used to excuse one's own ignorance or to defend someone else against criticism for not knowing how to do something.
Examples
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often try to use this to describe physical distance or cultural differences between countries, but it is strictly reserved for professional or technical domains. It does not mean that two people are incompatible, only that their skill sets are mutually opaque.
Grammar color guide
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.
