ning4 zou6 gai1 tau4, bat1 zou6 fung6 mei5寧做雞頭，不做鳳尾宁做鸡头，不做凤尾
Jyutpingning4 zou6 gai1 tau4, bat1 zou6 fung6 mei5
Yalenìngh jouh gāi tau4, bāt jouh fungh méih
Definition
lit. would rather be a chicken's head than a phoenix's tail (idiom)
Tone guide
T1High level
T2High rising
T3Mid level
T4Low falling
T5Low rising
T6Low level
Grammar guides
- TonesCantonese has six tones, and the tones can change in certain grammatical contexts. Learn the six tones and the rules for tone change.
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- 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.
Learn more on the YumCha blog
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Dictionary data from CC-Canto and CC-CEDICT, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.