ngaau4 dai2熬底
Jyutpingngaau4 dai2
Yalengàauh dái
Definition
To chicken out, lose courage, or get cold feet.
colloquialpeopleemotion
How it's used
Carries a sense of disappointment or teasing, implying that someone has backed out of a commitment or challenge due to fear or lack of nerve. It is frequently used when someone changes their mind right before an event is about to start. The term is informal and often used among friends to call out someone for being unreliable.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
to chicken out at the last minute
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Cantonese phrase 捱底, which refers to the bottom layer of a hot pot or the base of a soup. While they sound similar, 熬底 is specifically about losing courage or retreating from a situation.
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.
