jat1 coeng4 fun1 hei2 jat1 coeng4 hung1一場歡喜一場空一场欢喜一场空
Jyutpingjat1 coeng4 fun1 hei2 jat1 coeng4 hung1
Yaleyāt chèuhng fūn héi yāt chèuhng hūng
Definition
To end in disappointment after high hopes.
colloquialemotion
How it's used
This idiom describes the emotional rollercoaster of having great expectations only to be left with nothing. It is often used to reflect on situations where a promising opportunity or a stroke of luck suddenly vanishes. It carries a sense of resignation and irony regarding the fleeting nature of success or joy.
Examples
I thought I would get rich, but it all ended in disappointment.
I thought I had won a prize, but it turned out to be nothing.
Related words
Common phrases
the result is that it all ends in nothing
Common mistake
Do not use this as a literal description of a physical space or a specific event. It is strictly an idiomatic expression for the psychological experience of dashed hopes.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
