jiu4 jiu4 mou4 kei4遙遙無期遥遥无期
Jyutpingjiu4 jiu4 mou4 kei4
Yaleyìuh yìuh mòuh kèih
Definition
Infinite delay; unlikely to happen for a long time, with no set date, or may never happen at all.
neutraltimedescriptions
How it's used
This idiom carries a heavy sense of frustration or resignation regarding a lack of progress. It is frequently used in professional or social contexts where someone is waiting for a decision, a result, or a promised event that keeps getting delayed. Unlike simple expressions for waiting, this implies that the end point is not just distant, but effectively invisible or uncertain.
Examples
This project is nowhere near completion, I don't know when it will end.
A pay raise is nowhere in sight, everyone is very disappointed.
Related words
Common phrases
the future is nowhere in sight
an endless wait
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a simple way to say something is late, but it specifically implies that there is no schedule or end date in sight at all. It is not appropriate for minor delays like a bus being ten minutes late.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
