lok6 zeng2 haa6 sek6落井下石
Jyutpinglok6 zeng2 haa6 sek6
Yalelohk jéng hah sehk
Definition
To kick someone when they are down; to harm someone who is already in a vulnerable or difficult position.
colloquialpeopleemotion
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong moral condemnation of someone who exploits a person's vulnerability for personal gain or malice. It is used to describe behavior that is not just unhelpful, but actively cruel and opportunistic. Unlike simply ignoring someone in trouble, this implies a deliberate act of worsening their situation.
Examples
He fell down, please don't kick him while he is down.
Why did you have to kick him when he was down and cause him such misery?
Related words
Common phrases
deliberately kick someone when they are down
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.
