haang4 bou6 lou6 daa2 dou2 tan3行步路打倒褪
Jyutpinghaang4 bou6 lou6 daa2 dou2 tan3
Yalehàahng bouh louh dá dóu tan
Definition
To have bad luck in everything; to suffer constant setbacks and misfortune.
colloquialemotion
How it's used
This idiom vividly describes a period where everything seems to go wrong, as if one is walking backwards while trying to move forward. It is frequently used when a person experiences a series of minor misfortunes or failures in quick succession. The phrase carries a sense of frustration and helplessness regarding one's current circumstances.
Examples
I've been having such bad luck lately, nothing is going my way.
Related words
Common phrases
to have a streak of bad luck
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a single, isolated bad event, as it implies a continuous streak of bad luck rather than a specific mishap. It is also strictly colloquial and should be avoided in formal or professional writing.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
