jyu4 jau4 fu2 zung1魚游釜中鱼游釜中
Jyutpingjyu4 jau4 fu2 zung1
Yaleyùh yàuh fú jūng
Definition
To be like a fish swimming in a cooking pot, facing imminent peril.
writtenother
How it's used
This idiom is a vivid metaphor for someone who is unaware that they are already trapped in a dangerous situation. It is primarily used in formal or literary contexts to describe a person or group whose doom is already sealed. While it conveys a sense of urgency, it is rarely used in casual, everyday small talk.
Examples
Their plan is simply a recipe for disaster.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal description of cooking, but it is strictly used as a metaphor for human situations. Do not use it to describe actual fish in a kitchen.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Connector
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).
