haang4 lou6 daa2 dou2 tan3行路打倒褪
Jyutpinghaang4 lou6 daa2 dou2 tan3
Yalehàahng louh dá dóu tan
Definition
To suffer a misfortune or experience a run of bad luck.
colloquialemotion
How it's used
This expression vividly captures the feeling of being cursed by bad luck, as if one is physically moving backwards instead of progressing. It is often used when a series of small, frustrating mishaps occur in quick succession. While it sounds humorous, it is a common way to vent about a period of genuine misfortune.
Examples
I have been having such bad luck lately, nothing I do goes smoothly.
Related words
Common phrases
to have a streak of bad luck
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe someone who is literally walking backwards, as the term is strictly metaphorical for bad luck. It is also not used for major life tragedies, but rather for a general sense of being unlucky or having a bad day.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
