lok6 seoi2 gau2落水狗
Definition
A bad person who has lost power, influence, or favor.
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong sense of moral judgment, implying that the person being described was once powerful or arrogant but has now suffered a humiliating defeat. It is almost exclusively used in a negative context to describe someone who is being targeted or bullied after losing their status. Unlike the English phrase "underdog," which can imply a sympathetic or heroic figure, this term focuses on the vulnerability of a former oppressor.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the literal meaning of a dog that has fallen into water, as the metaphorical usage is far more common in daily speech. Using this to describe someone who is simply struggling or poor is incorrect, as it specifically requires the context of a fall from a previous position of strength.
Grammar color guide
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.
