hang4 wan6 jat1 tiu4 lung4 sat1 wan6 jat1 tiu4 cung4行運一條龍,失運一條蟲行运一条龙,失运一条虫
Jyutpinghang4 wan6 jat1 tiu4 lung4 sat1 wan6 jat1 tiu4 cung4
Yalehàhng wahn yāt tìuh lùhng sāt wahn yāt tìuh chùhng
Definition
To be like a dragon when lucky, but like a worm when unlucky; to experience a dramatic change in fortune.
colloquialemotiondescriptions
How it's used
This expression uses a vivid contrast between a dragon, symbolizing power and success, and a worm, symbolizing insignificance or failure. It is typically used to describe someone whose fortunes change drastically and unpredictably. The phrase is often used to offer perspective on the volatile nature of luck rather than to insult the person.
Examples
keoi5佢zeoi3最gan6近hang4行wan6運jat1一tiu4條lung4龍,sat1失wan6運jat1一tiu4條cung4蟲,sam1心cing4情hou2好faan2反fuk1覆。
His luck has been fluctuating wildly lately, he is very moody.
jan4人sang1生bin1邊jau5有gam3咁seon6順?hang4行wan6運jat1一tiu4條lung4龍,sat1失wan6運jat1一tiu4條cung4蟲hou2好ping4平soeng4常。
How can life always be smooth? It is normal to have ups and downs.
Related words
Common phrases
to be on a winning streak
to be down on one's luck
Common mistake
Do not use this phrase to describe a person's permanent character or personality. It specifically refers to the transient state of one's luck or success level.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
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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).



