jyun3 tin1 jau4 jan4怨天尤人
Jyutpingjyun3 tin1 jau4 jan4
Yaleyun tīn yàuh yàhn
Definition
To blame everyone except oneself, pointing fingers at God and other people rather than reflecting on one's own problems.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong sense of disapproval, often used to criticize someone for having a defeatist or victim mentality. It is frequently applied to people who refuse to take responsibility for their own failures. While it sounds formal due to its four-character structure, it is commonly used in everyday speech to warn friends or colleagues against negative attitudes.
Examples
You are always blaming everyone but yourself, how can you ever improve?
Don't blame fate or others when you face difficulties, think about how to solve them instead.
Related words
Common phrases
don't blame everyone but yourself
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.
