ngaai4 gaang1 dai2 je6捱更抵夜挨更抵夜
Jyutpingngaai4 gaang1 dai2 je6
Yalengàaih gāang dái yeh
Definition
To work through the night and endure hardship; to stay up late to work or study.
colloquialworkhealth
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong sense of physical exhaustion and personal sacrifice. It is typically used to describe someone who is pushing themselves beyond their limits, often due to work or study pressure. Unlike simply staying up late, it emphasizes the endurance of hardship over a prolonged period.
Examples
He has been working night and day lately to finish the job.
Don't work yourself to the bone anymore, your health is more important.
Related words
Common phrases
to do something while working night and day
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a one-off late night. It specifically implies a sustained period of overwork that takes a toll on one's health.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
