naan4 ji5 wai4 gai3難以為繼难以为继

Jyutpingnaan4 ji5 wai4 gai3

Yalenàahn yíh wàih gai

Definition

Hard to keep going; difficult to continue or unsustainable.

writtenworkmoney

How it's used

This is a formal idiom often used in news reports or serious discussions regarding economic or organizational stability. While it appears in spoken Cantonese, it carries a sophisticated tone that implies a structural or systemic failure rather than just a simple lack of effort. It is rarely used to describe personal, minor inconveniences.

Examples

gaan1間gung1公si1司sit6蝕cin2錢sit6蝕dak1得hou2好ging6勁，tai2睇lai4嚟naan4難ji5以wai4為gai3繼laa3喇。

The company is losing money so heavily, it looks like it is unsustainable.

jyu4如gwo2果zoi3再gam3咁joeng2樣lok6落heoi3去，nei5你gok3覺dak1得zung6仲naan4難ji5以wai4為gai3繼me1咩？

If things keep going like this, do you really think it is unsustainable?

Common phrases

ging1經zai3濟naan4難ji5以wai4為gai3繼

the economy is unsustainable

sang1生wut6活naan4難ji5以wai4為gai3繼

livelihood is unsustainable

Common mistake

Learners often mistakenly use this to describe personal fatigue or a simple lack of motivation, but it is strictly reserved for situations involving ongoing projects, businesses, or large scale operations that are failing to sustain themselves.