liu1 zoek3 dau3撩雀竇撩雀窦
Jyutpingliu1 zoek3 dau3
Yalelīu jeuk dau
Definition
To stir or poke a bird's nest; to court trouble or provoke someone who is easily angered.
- to stir or poke a bird's nest
- figurativeto court trouble by provoking someone who is easily angered
colloquialpeopleother
How it's used
Literally meaning to poke a bird's nest, this idiom is used to describe someone who intentionally provokes a situation or stirs up unnecessary trouble. It carries a strong sense of warning, implying that the person is inviting disaster or retaliation upon themselves. It is frequently used when someone is about to say something controversial or take an action that will clearly upset others.
Examples
Why are you stirring up trouble? You will get scolded later.
He is always stirring up trouble, making the whole department chaotic.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this phrase to describe literal bird watching or actual bird nests, as it is strictly metaphorical. Using it in a literal context will cause confusion as it is exclusively reserved for describing provocative behavior.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Adjective
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
