gam1 tung4 juk6 neoi5金童玉女
Definition
Fairy boy and girl who serve the Goddess of Mercy; also used as a metaphor for a perfectly matched romantic couple.
How it's used
This idiom is frequently used to compliment a couple on their appearance and compatibility, implying they look like they were made for each other. While it originates from religious iconography, it has lost most of its spiritual weight in modern daily usage and is now primarily a secular term for a handsome and well-matched pair. It is often used in a slightly playful or exaggerated tone to praise a couple at weddings or social gatherings.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe just any couple. It specifically implies that the pair looks physically attractive and well-matched, so using it for a couple that does not fit this aesthetic can sound sarcastic or backhanded.
Grammar color guide
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).
