hou2 seoi2 mou5 gei2 do1 ziu1好水冇幾多朝好水冇几多朝
Jyutpinghou2 seoi2 mou5 gei2 do1 ziu1
Yalehóu séui móuh géi dō jīu
Definition
Good things do not last long.
colloquialother
How it's used
This proverb serves as a warning against overconfidence when experiencing a streak of good luck. It implies that favorable circumstances are inherently temporary and bound to change. It is often used to humble someone who is flaunting their current success.
Examples
Good things don't last, don't get too cocky yet.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal comment about water or weather, but it is strictly a metaphorical expression for fleeting fortune. Do not use it to describe physical objects or literal water levels.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
