hoi2 soeng6 mou4 jyu4 haa1 zi6 daai6海上無魚蝦自大海上无鱼虾自大
Jyutpinghoi2 soeng6 mou4 jyu4 haa1 zi6 daai6
Yalehói seuhng mòuh yùh hā jih daaih
Definition
In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This proverb describes a situation where someone gains status or authority simply because there are no better alternatives present. It carries a slightly mocking tone, implying that the person's self-importance is unearned and would vanish if they were in a more competitive environment. It is frequently used to deflate the ego of someone who boasts about their achievements in a niche or mediocre setting.
Examples
He is a manager at a small company; it is a classic case of being a big fish in a small pond.
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe someone who is genuinely talented but humble. It specifically targets people who act arrogant or superior because they lack real competition, rather than those who are simply the best in their field.
Grammar color guide
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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).
