gwan2 seoi2 luk6 zyu1 coeng2滾水淥豬腸滚水渌猪肠
Jyutpinggwan2 seoi2 luk6 zyu1 coeng2
Yalegwán séui luhk jyū chéung
Definition
Misfortune never comes singly; bad luck keeps happening.
colloquialfoodemotion
How it's used
This idiom relies on the visual of boiling water shrinking pig intestines, which curl up and become messy when scalded. It describes a situation where one problem follows another in rapid succession, creating a tangled mess of bad luck. It is highly expressive and carries a sense of frustration or resignation regarding a series of unfortunate events.
Examples
He recently lost his job and got sick, it really is one disaster after another.
Why is it so unlucky? It is just like one misfortune after another.
Related words
Common phrases
simply one disaster after another
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a single bad event, as it specifically implies a compounding effect or a chain reaction of negative occurrences. It is a vivid, informal metaphor that should be reserved for conversational contexts rather than formal writing.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
