jat1 zuk1 gou1 naam5 cam4 jat1 syun4 jan4一竹篙揇沉一船人

Jyutpingjat1 zuk1 gou1 naam5 cam4 jat1 syun4 jan4

Yaleyāt jūk gōu náahm chàhm yāt syùhn yàhn

Definition

To tar with the same brush; to generalize about a whole group based on the bad behavior of a few.

colloquialpeopleother

How it's used

This idiom vividly paints a picture of someone using a single bamboo pole to push an entire boat underwater, effectively drowning everyone on board. It is used to criticize the unfair practice of generalizing the faults of one individual to an entire group. You will often hear it used when someone is being unfairly defensive or judgmental about a collective.

Examples

nei5你m4唔hou2好jat1一zuk1竹gou1篙揇naam3沉cam4一jat1船syun4人，jan4唔m4係hai6個go3個go3都dou1咁gam3衰㗎。

Don't tar everyone with the same brush, not everyone is that bad.

keoi5佢zou6做co3錯si6事ze1啫，nei5你sai2使m4唔sai2使jat1一zuk1竹gou1篙揇naam3沉cam4一jat1船syun4人jan4呀？

He's the one who messed up, do you really have to blame the whole group?

Common phrases

m4唔hou2好jat1一zuk1竹gou1篙揇naam3沉cam4一jat1船syun4人

Don't tar everyone with the same brush

Common mistake

Learners often try to translate the English idiom literally, but this Cantonese version is much more common and carries a stronger, more visual impact. Be careful not to use it in formal writing as it is strictly a colloquial expression.