jat1 san1 ngai5一身蟻一身蚁
Jyutpingjat1 san1 ngai5
Yaleyāt sān ngáih
Definition
To be in deep trouble; to be overwhelmed by a mess of problems of one's own making.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
This idiom vividly describes the feeling of being covered in problems, much like being swarmed by ants that are impossible to shake off. It is almost exclusively used to describe situations where someone has foolishly or accidentally involved themselves in a complex, messy, or potentially litigious situation. The focus is on the lingering, persistent nature of the trouble rather than a single event.
Examples
Why did you get yourself into such a big mess?
He acted as a guarantor for someone and ended up in deep trouble.
Related words
Common phrases
to end up in a huge mess
to get oneself into deep trouble
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe simple mistakes or minor inconveniences. It implies a level of entanglement that is difficult to resolve and often carries a sense of regret for having gotten involved in the first place.
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).
