geng1 dou3 faat3 jyun5 tai4驚到發軟蹄惊到发软蹄
Jyutpinggeng1 dou3 faat3 jyun5 tai4
Yalegēng dou faat yúhn tàih
Definition
To go weak at the knees with fear.
colloquialbodyemotion
How it's used
This expression vividly describes a physical reaction to intense fear or anxiety where one loses the strength to stand properly. It is often used in hyperbolic ways to describe situations that are not life threatening but are nonetheless startling or intimidating. The imagery of 軟蹄 refers to the legs becoming soft or jelly like, effectively capturing the loss of motor control under stress.
Examples
I really went weak at the knees with fear when I saw that big cockroach.
Did you go weak at the knees with fear when you walked on that suspension bridge?
Related words
Common phrases
scared until weak at the knees
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe physical exhaustion or muscle fatigue from exercise, as it specifically implies a reaction to fear or shock.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
