saan1 baan2 cung1 paau3 teng5舢舨充炮艇
Jyutpingsaan1 baan2 cung1 paau3 teng5
Yalesāan báan chūng paau téhng
Definition
To bluff or bluster by pretending to be powerful or knowledgeable.
- to bluff or bluster; to pretend to have power or influence
- to pretend to know something or claim to be in the know
colloquialpeopleslang
How it's used
This idiom vividly captures the image of a small, humble wooden boat trying to pass itself off as a heavily armed naval vessel. It is used exclusively to mock someone who is posturing or pretending to have authority, skill, or knowledge they clearly lack. It carries a strong sense of ridicule and is typically used behind someone's back rather than to their face.
Examples
He is always bluffing, but he actually knows nothing at all.
nei5你m4唔hou2好hai2喺dou6度saan1舢baan2舨cung1充paau3炮teng5艇laa1啦，le1呢haang4行bin1邊go3個m4唔zi1知nei5你dai2底sai3細？
Stop acting like you are an expert here, everyone in this industry knows your background.
Related words
Common phrases
to pretend to be knowledgeable
to bluff and bluster
Common mistake
Do not use this phrase to describe someone who is simply lying about a specific fact. It specifically targets people who are putting on a fake persona of competence or power to impress others.
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.
