gwo3 gong1 lung4過江龍过江龙
Definition
Jumper cables, or a powerful person or business arriving from another region to make an impact.
- jumper cables used to start a car with a dead battery
- an influential person, talent, or enterprise coming from the outside
How it's used
The term functions as a clever metaphor for both mechanical tools and human influence. When referring to people, it implies a sense of awe or caution, as the person or entity is perceived as having significant resources or skills that challenge the status quo. It is rarely used for someone who moves to a new place to settle down quietly, but rather for those who arrive with a splash or a specific agenda.
Measure word
tiu4條tìuhExamples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the literal meaning of a dragon crossing a river, as it is almost exclusively used in the contexts of automotive repair or competitive business environments. Using it to describe a casual tourist or a regular immigrant would sound unnatural and overly dramatic.
Grammar color guide
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
