mong4 gik1 dak1 maau4亡戟得矛

Jyutpingmong4 gik1 dak1 maau4

Yalemòhng gīk dāk màauh

Definition

To lose one thing but gain another, resulting in no net loss or gain.

writtenother

How it's used

This idiom is rarely used in casual spoken Cantonese and carries a formal or literary tone. It describes situations where a setback is balanced by an unexpected advantage, or where one thing is sacrificed to acquire another. Using it in daily conversation might sound overly dramatic or academic.

Examples

keoi5佢gam1今ci3次saang1生ji3意mong4亡gik1戟dak1得maau4矛，zan1真hai6係m4唔zi1知gong2講me1咩hou2好。

His business venture this time was a mixed bag of loss and gain, I really don't know what to say.

le1呢daan1單gaau1交jik6易mong4亡gik1戟dak1得maau4矛，nei5你gok3覺dak1得syun3算m4唔syun3算zaan6賺zo2咗？

This deal resulted in both losses and gains, do you think it counts as a profit?

Common phrases

mong4亡gik1戟dak1得maau4矛ge3嘅git3結gwo2果

a result that is a mix of loss and gain

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a common idiom, but it is actually quite obscure and might not be understood by all native speakers. It is safer to use plain language like 有得有失 to express the same idea in daily life.