ngan3 ngan3 goek3印印腳印印脚
Jyutpingngan3 ngan3 goek3
Yalengan ngan geuk
Definition
To bounce or shake one's legs up and down while sitting.
colloquialdaily actionspeople
How it's used
Describes a habit of rhythmically tapping or bouncing one's feet or legs while sitting, often implying a lack of focus or an impatient attitude. It can also carry a figurative meaning of living a life of leisure or idleness without financial worries, similar to the English idiom of living on easy street.
Examples
He is always bouncing his legs, looking like he has nothing to do.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe intentional exercise or physical therapy movements, as it specifically refers to a restless or idle habit.
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.
