ngaan5 fut3 tou5 zaak3眼闊肚窄眼阔肚窄

Jyutpingngaan5 fut3 tou5 zaak3

Yalengáahn fut tóuh jaak

語句

Definition

To overestimate one's appetite; to have eyes bigger than one's stomach.

colloquialfooddaily actions

How it's used

This idiom vividly captures the disconnect between visual desire and physical capacity. It is primarily used in the context of ordering food at restaurants or serving portions at home. While it can metaphorically apply to taking on too much work, its core imagery remains firmly rooted in dining behavior.

Examples

nei5你m4唔hou2好ngaan5眼fut3闊tou5肚zaak3窄laa3喇，giu3叫gam3咁do1多sung3餸dim2點sik6食aa4呀？

Don't be greedy with your eyes, how are we going to finish all these dishes?

keoi5佢seng4成jat6日ngaan5眼fut3闊tou5肚zaak3窄，ci3次ci3次dou1都giu3叫dou3到seng4成toi4枱dou1都hai6係。

He always overestimates his appetite and ends up ordering enough to fill the whole table.

Common phrases

ngaan5眼fut3闊tou5肚zaak3窄ge3嘅jan4人

someone who habitually overestimates their appetite

Common mistake

Avoid using this to describe general greed or ambition, as it specifically refers to the inability to finish food that one has already committed to eating.