jit6 wo1 soeng6 dik1 maa5 ngai5熱鍋上的螞蟻热锅上的蚂蚁
Jyutpingjit6 wo1 soeng6 dik1 maa5 ngai5
Yaleyiht wō seuhng dīk máh ngáih
Definition
Extremely anxious, restless, or frantic, like a cat on hot bricks.
colloquialemotiondescriptions
How it's used
This idiom vividly captures the physical manifestation of anxiety, specifically the restless pacing associated with being unable to sit still. It is frequently used to describe someone waiting for news or a person who is late for an important appointment. The imagery focuses on the frantic, aimless movement caused by extreme stress.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal description of an insect. Ensure you use the particle 嘅 to connect the idiom to the subject when describing someone's state, as in 佢好似熱鍋上嘅螞蟻.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
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Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
