mong6 joeng4 hing1 taan3望洋興歎望洋兴叹
Jyutpingmong6 joeng4 hing1 taan3
Yalemohng yèuhng hīng taan
Definition
To feel powerless and inadequate when faced with a monumental task or an overly ambitious goal.
writtendescriptionsother
How it's used
This idiom is a formal expression often used in written contexts or when someone wants to sound slightly more sophisticated in speech. It carries a sense of resignation or humility, highlighting the gap between one's limited ability and the vastness of the challenge. It is rarely used in casual, everyday conversation among friends.
Examples
Facing so many difficulties really makes me feel helpless.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often misuse this by applying it to simple tasks that are just annoying, but it should be reserved for situations where the scale of the challenge is genuinely intimidating or beyond one's control.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
