lung4 jau4 cin2 seoi2, zou1 haa1 hei3龍游淺水，遭蝦戲龙游浅水，遭虾戏
Jyutpinglung4 jau4 cin2 seoi2, zou1 haa1 hei3
Yalelùhng yàuh chín seui2, jōu hā hei
Definition
To lose power or status and find oneself humiliated by those of lesser standing.
colloquialpeopleother
How it's used
This is a classic idiom used to describe a person of high status or great ability who has fallen into a situation where they are powerless and consequently disrespected by people of lower standing. It carries a sense of sympathy for the fallen individual and a warning about the fickleness of social hierarchy. It is frequently used in storytelling or when discussing someone's dramatic change in fortune.
Examples
He used to be a big boss, but now he has lost his status and is being bullied by inferiors.
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal description of a dragon in water, but it is strictly a metaphor for human social status. It is not used to describe actual animals or physical environments.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
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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).
