lok6 fong1 ji4 tou4落荒而逃
Jyutpinglok6 fong1 ji4 tou4
Yalelohk fōng yìh tòuh
Definition
To flee in defeat, panic, or confusion; to run away helter-skelter.
colloquialdaily actions
How it's used
Carries a strong sense of embarrassment and lack of composure, distinguishing it from neutral words for running away. It implies the person is caught off guard or defeated, often leaving behind their dignity in the process. While it is a four-character idiom, it is frequently used in spoken Cantonese to describe someone making a hasty and undignified exit.
Examples
Seeing the police coming, they immediately fled in a panic.
Related words
Common phrases
scared into fleeing in a panic
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe a planned or strategic retreat, as it specifically highlights a state of panic or chaos. It is not suitable for situations where someone leaves calmly or with a clear purpose.
Grammar color guide
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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).
