gwaa1 fau2 dau2 fan1瓜剖豆分
Jyutpinggwaa1 fau2 dau2 fan1
Yalegwā fáu dáu fān
Definition
To be partitioned or carved up by foreign powers, like a melon sliced and beans split.
writtenother
How it's used
This idiom carries a formal and slightly literary tone, often used in news reports or professional contexts to describe the partitioning of land, assets, or organizations. It is rarely used in casual, everyday conversation to describe simple physical objects. Using it in a lighthearted or trivial context can sound overly dramatic or pretentious.
Examples
Their company was eventually split up, and they each went their own way.
Related words
Common phrases
spheres of influence are carved up
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a common verb like 分開, but it is a specific idiom that implies a fragmentation or splitting of something previously whole into smaller, distinct parts. It is not interchangeable with simple verbs of separation.
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.
