naan4 zou6難做难做
Jyutpingnaan4 zou6
Yalenàahn jouh
Definition
To be put in a difficult, awkward, or compromising situation where any action may cause displeasure.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
Focus on the social or interpersonal dilemma rather than the technical difficulty of a task. It describes the feeling of being caught between two conflicting parties or expectations where any choice leads to someone being upset. Use it to express that you are in a bind because of someone else's behavior.
Examples
You are stuck in the middle, it is really hard for you to act.
His request puts me in a very difficult position.
Related words
Common phrases
puts me in a difficult position
stuck in the middle and hard to act
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a task that is physically or mentally challenging to complete, such as a hard math problem or a heavy lifting job. For those, use 難搞 or 困難 instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
