him2 gwo3 tai3 tau4險過剃頭險过剃头
Jyutpinghim2 gwo3 tai3 tau4
Yalehím gwo tai tàuh
Definition
Extremely dangerous; a close call or narrow escape.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
This idiom vividly captures the feeling of a near miss where the margin for error was razor thin. It is almost exclusively used in retrospect to describe a situation that has already concluded safely. People often use it to emphasize how lucky they were to avoid a disastrous outcome.
Examples
That was a close call, I almost crashed the car.
You had such a narrow escape crossing the road, you scared me to death.
Related words
Common phrases
really a close call
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a situation that is currently ongoing or a general state of danger. It specifically highlights the relief of having just survived a high stakes moment.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
