mong4 leoi5 tau1 haan4忙裏偷閒忙里偷闲
Jyutpingmong4 leoi5 tau1 haan4
Yalemòhng léuih tāu hàahn
Definition
To snatch a moment of leisure or take a brief breather in the midst of a busy schedule.
colloquialworkdaily actions
How it's used
This idiom describes the deliberate act of finding a brief moment of respite during a hectic schedule. It carries a sense of self-care and resourcefulness, highlighting that even when overwhelmed by work, one can still carve out a small window for personal enjoyment. It is often used to justify taking a short break, such as grabbing a coffee or scrolling through social media, as a necessary mental reset.
Examples
You are so busy, you should still take a breather and rest a bit.
He works overtime all the time, how can he find time to relax?
Related words
Common phrases
a good way to take a breather
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.



