hoi2 gwan1 dau3 seoi2 bing1海軍鬥水兵海军斗水兵

Jyutpinghoi2 gwan1 dau3 seoi2 bing1

Yalehói gwān dau séui bīng

語句

Definition

A matchup or fight between two equally mediocre sides where neither has the upper hand.

colloquialpeopleslang

How it's used

This idiom relies on the slang term 水皮, which describes someone who is incompetent or lacks skill. The humor comes from the pun on 水, as sailors are literally associated with water, but here it highlights that both sides are equally poor in quality. It is used to mock situations where neither party has any real advantage or talent.

Examples

keoi5佢dei6哋loeng5兩go3個bei2比coi3賽gaan2簡zik6直hai6係hoi2海gwan1軍dau3鬥seoi2水bing1兵。

The competition between those two is just a battle of the mediocre.

le1呢coeng4場bo1波tai2睇dou3到jan4人ngaan5眼fan3瞓，zan1真hai6係hoi2海gwan1軍dau3鬥seoi2水bing1兵aa4呀。

This match is so boring, it's really just two weak teams fighting it out.

Common phrases

gaan2簡zik6直hai6係hoi2海gwan1軍dau3鬥seoi2水bing1兵

simply a battle of the mediocre

Common mistake

Do not use this to describe a serious or high-stakes competition, as it specifically implies that both parties are lacking in ability. It is a derogatory remark meant to belittle the performance of those involved.