saang1 seoi2 wu6 tau4生水芋頭生水芋头
Jyutpingsaang1 seoi2 wu6 tau4
Yalesāang séui wuh tàuh
Definition
Taro root that remains hard and waxy after cooking; figuratively used to describe a foolish or strange person.
- taro root that remains hard and waxy after cooking
- figurativea foolish, slow-witted, or strange person
colloquialfoodpeople
How it's used
This term draws a vivid comparison between a poorly cooked, unyielding taro root and a person who is socially awkward or slow on the uptake. It carries a slightly mocking tone, implying that the person is not quite functioning normally or is stubbornly dense. While it can be used to describe someone who is genuinely strange, it is often used playfully among friends to tease someone for being absent-minded or making silly mistakes.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
This guy is really a total weirdo, he just doesn't understand no matter how many times I explain.
Why are you acting so weird all the time? Get a grip.
Related words
Common phrases
acting like a total weirdo
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe someone who is simply shy or quiet. It specifically targets behavior that is perceived as illogical, bizarre, or frustratingly slow, rather than just introverted.
Grammar color guide
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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.
