saang1 mai5 zyu2 sing4 suk6 faan6生米煮成熟飯生米煮成熟饭
Definition
What is done cannot be undone; used to describe a situation where the outcome is irreversible.
How it's used
This idiom is frequently used to describe situations where a decision or action has reached a point of no return, often implying that others must now accept the consequences. While it can apply to various life events, it is historically and culturally associated with romantic or marital commitments where a couple has already consummated their relationship or finalized a union, making it impossible to reverse the situation.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this phrase to describe any completed task, but it specifically implies a sense of inevitability or a lack of choice regarding the outcome. It is not appropriate for simple completed actions like finishing homework or cleaning a room.
Grammar color guide
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.
