ng6 jan4 zi2 dai6誤人子弟误人子弟
Jyutpingng6 jan4 zi2 dai6
Yalengh yàhn jí daih
Definition
To mislead the younger generation; to teach poorly or without adequate knowledge.
colloquialpeoplework
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong sense of moral condemnation and professional failure. It is specifically used to criticize someone in a position of mentorship or education who lacks the necessary competence or integrity to guide others. While it sounds formal due to its classical structure, it is frequently used in heated, colloquial arguments to attack someone's credibility.
Examples
He doesn't know how to teach at all, he is simply misleading the younger generation.
Isn't the way you are doing things misleading the younger generation?
Related words
Common phrases
simply misleading the younger generation
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a general term for making a mistake. It is exclusively reserved for the context of teaching or guiding others, so it cannot be used to describe general errors or personal blunders.
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.
