m4 faat3 fo2 dong3 beng6 maau1唔發火當病貓唔发火当病猫
Jyutpingm4 faat3 fo2 dong3 beng6 maau1
Yalem̀h faat fó dong behng māau
Definition
To mistake someone's patience or lack of anger for weakness or submissiveness.
colloquialpeopleemotion
How it's used
This idiom serves as a stern warning that a person's patience has a limit. It is specifically used when someone is being pushed or bullied because they have chosen to remain calm or polite. Using this phrase signals that the speaker is about to stop tolerating the behavior and is ready to retaliate.
Related words
Common phrases
to treat me like a pushover
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal description of a sick cat. It is strictly a metaphorical expression used to describe human behavior and should never be used when discussing actual animals.
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.
