mong6 can4 mok6 kap6望塵莫及望尘莫及

Jyutpingmong6 can4 mok6 kap6

Yalemohng chàhn mohk kahp

語句

Definition

To be far left behind; cannot hold a candle to someone or something.

colloquialdescriptions

How it's used

Literally describing the act of looking at the dust kicked up by someone ahead, this idiom highlights a significant gap in ability or achievement. It is a formal idiom used in spoken Cantonese to express genuine admiration or humility when acknowledging someone else's superior skill. Because it carries a slightly literary weight, it is often used for emphasis in serious or semi-serious comparisons.

Examples

keoi5佢waak6畫waa2畫gam3咁ging3勁，ngo5我zan1真hai6係mong6望can4塵mok6莫kap6及。

Their drawing is so amazing, I really can't hold a candle to them.

tung4同keoi5佢bei2比cuk1速dou6度，ngo5我gaan2簡zik6直hai6係mong6望can4塵mok6莫kap6及aa4呀。

Comparing speed with them, I'm simply no match at all.

Common phrases

gaan2簡zik6直hai6係mong6望can4塵mok6莫kap6及

simply cannot hold a candle to

Common mistake

Avoid using this to describe physical distance or literal speed unless it is a metaphorical comparison of skill or status. It is not meant for simple observations like being late to a meeting or losing a casual footrace.