gu3 ci2 sat1 bei2顧此失彼顾此失彼
Jyutpinggu3 ci2 sat1 bei2
Yalegu chí sāt béi
Definition
To attend to one thing but neglect another; unable to cope with everything at once.
neutralworkdaily actions
How it's used
Often used in professional or academic contexts to describe the struggle of multitasking or managing competing priorities. It carries a slightly formal tone compared to everyday slang, making it suitable for advice or reflecting on a chaotic situation. It implies that the loss of focus on the second task is an unavoidable consequence of overextending oneself.
Examples
You have to work and look after the kids, it is easy to neglect one for the other.
Do not be too greedy at work, otherwise you will end up neglecting one thing for another.
Related words
Common phrases
easy to neglect one thing for another
lead to neglecting one thing for another
Common mistake
Learners sometimes use it to mean simply being forgetful, but it specifically requires a trade-off where focusing on one specific task causes the failure of another. It is not used for general absent-mindedness.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
