gwo3 ho4 zeot1過河卒过河卒

Jyutpinggwo3 ho4 zeot1

Yalegwo hòh jēut

Definition

An advanced pawn in Chinese chess; figuratively used to describe someone with no option but to move forward.

an advanced pawn in Chinese chess that cannot retreat
figurativesomeone who has no choice but to push forward, or a pawn used by others

colloquialother

How it's used

Originating from Chinese chess, this metaphor describes someone who has committed to a path where retreat is impossible. It is frequently used to describe people who have been pushed into a risky situation or who have taken a decisive action that forces them to keep moving forward regardless of the consequences. The term carries a sense of inevitability and lack of agency.

Measure word

zek3隻jek

Examples

keoi5佢ji4而gaa1家hou2好ci5似zek3隻gwo3過ho4河zeot1卒gam3咁，mou5冇dak1得faan1返zyun3轉tau4頭。

He is like a pawn that has crossed the river now, there is no turning back.

nei5你zou6做zo2咗gwo3過ho4河zeot1卒，zung6仲ho2可ji5以dim2點joeng2樣sau1收fo1科aa4呀？

Now that you have crossed the river as a pawn, how can you possibly wrap this up?

Common phrases

zou6做gwo3過ho4河zeot1卒

to act as a pawn that cannot retreat

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with simply being a pawn in a game. The specific emphasis here is on the inability to retreat once the river is crossed, which is a unique rule for the pawn piece in Chinese chess.