jat1 ziu1 bei6 se4 ngaau5一朝被蛇咬
Definition
Once bitten, twice shy; once having suffered a setback, one becomes overly cautious.
How it's used
This idiom is almost always used to describe someone who has developed an irrational or extreme fear of something harmless because it resembles a past traumatic experience. It is a classic example of how Cantonese speakers use vivid imagery to describe psychological states. While the full phrase is often cited, people frequently shorten it to just the first four characters in casual conversation.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal warning about snakes, but it is strictly a metaphorical expression for trauma-induced caution. Avoid using it to describe simple dislike or preference; it must involve a past negative experience that triggers an overreaction.
Grammar color guide
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.
