geng2 dou1 coeng4頸都長颈都长

Jyutpinggeng2 dou1 coeng4

Yalegéng dōu chèuhng

Definition

To wait for an extremely long time with great anticipation.

colloquialbodydescriptions

How it's used

This expression vividly captures the physical sensation of craning one's neck to look for someone or something that is overdue. It is almost exclusively used in contexts involving impatience or frustration caused by a significant delay. While it sounds humorous, it is a very common way to emphasize that the wait has exceeded reasonable expectations.

Examples

nei5你zung6仲mei6未dou3到aa4呀，ngo5我dang2等dou3到geng2頸dou1都coeng4長maai4埋laa3喇。

You are still not here yet, I have been waiting so long that my neck has grown long.

wai6為zo2咗maai5買le1呢zek3隻haan6限loeng6量baan2版，ngo5我dei6哋paai4排deoi2隊paai4排dou3到geng2頸dou1都coeng4長。

We waited in line for so long to buy this limited edition that our necks grew long.

Common phrases

dang2等dou3到geng2頸dou1都coeng4長

to wait until one's neck grows long

paai4排deoi2隊paai4排dou3到geng2頸dou1都coeng4長

to queue until one's neck grows long

Common mistake

Do not use this to describe a literal physical change in someone's neck. It is strictly a figurative idiom for waiting and cannot be applied to other situations where time passes slowly, such as being bored in a meeting.