hong1 zong1 daai6 dou6康莊大道康庄大道
Jyutpinghong1 zong1 daai6 dou6
Yalehōng jōng daaih douh
Definition
A broad and open road, used figuratively to refer to a bright, smooth, and promising future.
neutraldescriptions
How it's used
This idiom carries a formal and slightly literary tone, often used in speeches or advice to sound encouraging and sophisticated. While it literally describes a wide, flat road, it is almost exclusively used metaphorically to describe a promising career or life path. It implies not just success, but a lack of obstacles or hidden dangers.
Measure word
tiu4條tìuhExamples
As long as you are willing to work hard, your future will surely be a smooth and bright path.
Do you think this is a bright path ahead, or a dead end?
Related words
Common phrases
to head towards a bright future
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal description of a road, but using it to describe a physical street in Hong Kong would sound very strange and overly dramatic. It is strictly reserved for abstract concepts like one's future or development.
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.
