gau3 jan4 jyu4 gau3 fo2救人如救火
Jyutpinggau3 jan4 jyu4 gau3 fo2
Yalegau yàhn yùh gau fó
Definition
Saving a person's life is as urgent as putting out a fire.
colloquialpeopledaily actions
How it's used
This idiom is used to emphasize that time is of the essence when someone is in distress or danger. It is frequently employed to urge others to act immediately without hesitation or delay. While it carries a sense of gravity, it can also be applied to non-medical situations where a problem requires an instant solution to prevent further damage.
Examples
Go help quickly, saving a life is as urgent as fighting a fire!
Related words
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.
