luk6 sei2 seoi4 sau2鹿死誰手鹿死谁手
Jyutpingluk6 sei2 seoi4 sau2
Yaleluhk séi sèuih sáu
Definition
Unclear who will emerge victorious or who will win in a fierce competition.
writtenother
How it's used
This idiom carries a literary and slightly dramatic tone, often used in sports reporting, political analysis, or competitive contexts. It implies a high-stakes situation where the outcome is genuinely uncertain until the very last moment. Because it is a formal idiom, it is less common in casual, everyday small talk and more frequent in news or commentary.
Examples
The two teams are so evenly matched, it is really hard to say who will win.
This election campaign is fierce, and no one knows who will come out on top yet.
Common phrases
unclear who will win
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this to describe simple, low-stakes situations like a casual board game between friends. It is best reserved for significant competitions or conflicts where the result is truly suspenseful.
Grammar color guide
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Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
