gau2 kuk1 sap6 saam1 waan1九曲十三彎九曲十三弯
Jyutpinggau2 kuk1 sap6 saam1 waan1
Yalegáu kūk sahp sāam wāan
Definition
Winding; full of twists and turns, especially describing a road or route.
colloquialtransportplaces
How it's used
This idiom is primarily used to describe physical terrain like mountain roads or narrow alleys that are difficult to navigate. It carries a strong sense of exhaustion or frustration, emphasizing the sheer number of turns one must endure. While it can metaphorically describe a convoluted process, it is most evocative when applied to actual travel.
Examples
The mountain path is so winding and twisty that my legs feel like jelly.
Do you know you have to go through a long, winding route to get there?
Related words
Common phrases
to travel along a very winding road
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe a simple detour or a road with just one or two turns. It specifically implies a complex, repetitive series of bends that makes a journey feel much longer than it actually is.
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.
