jat1 do2 sin1 faa1 caap3 zoi6 ngau4 fan3 soeng5一朵鮮花插在牛糞上一朵鲜花插在牛粪上
Jyutpingjat1 do2 sin1 faa1 caap3 zoi6 ngau4 fan3 soeng5
Yaleyāt dó sīn fā chaap joih ngàuh fan séuhng
Definition
To pity a beautiful woman who is in a relationship with an ugly or unworthy man.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This idiom is a sharp, often blunt way to express disapproval or disbelief regarding a couple's pairing. It focuses entirely on the perceived mismatch in physical attractiveness or social status between the two partners. Because it is inherently insulting to the partner being compared to cow dung, it is rarely used in polite company or directly to the couple's faces.
Common phrases
fresh flower in cow dung
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a general metaphor for bad luck, but it is strictly reserved for romantic relationships where one partner is considered far superior in appearance to the other.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Adjective
Adverb
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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.
