lung4 taam4 fu2 jyut6龍潭虎穴龙潭虎穴
Jyutpinglung4 taam4 fu2 jyut6
Yalelùhng tàahm fú yuht
Definition
A highly dangerous or hazardous place; a dragon's pool and tiger's den.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
Idioms like this are often used in a slightly hyperbolic or dramatic way to describe situations that feel intimidating or risky, even if they are not literally life threatening. It carries a strong sense of foreboding and is frequently used to warn someone against entering a specific environment or social circle. While it sounds formal due to its classical structure, it is common in everyday speech to emphasize the danger of a situation.
Examples
That place is basically a death trap, please do not go there alone.
nei5你ji5以wai4為go2嗰dou6度hai6係lung4龍taam4潭fu2虎jyut6穴me1咩？kei4其sat6實mou5冇nei5你nam2諗dak1得gam3咁hung2恐bou3怖。
Do you think that place is a den of lions? It is actually not as scary as you imagine.
Related words
Common phrases
to venture into a dangerous place
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal description of a place with animals. It is strictly a metaphorical term for a dangerous situation or environment, so do not use it to describe an actual zoo or a wildlife habitat.
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.
