san1 si2 haang1新屎坑
Jyutpingsan1 si2 haang1
Yalesān sí hāang
Definition
A short-lived fad; a temporary craze that people rush to try but quickly lose interest in.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
The full phrase is 新屎坑三日香, where the first part describes the novelty and the second part describes the fleeting nature of the interest. It is a vivid, slightly cynical way to dismiss trends or people who jump from one hobby to another. Using only the first half is common, but adding the second half emphasizes the inevitable decline of the excitement.
Examples
He always buys new toys, but he loses interest after just a few days.
le1呢gaan1間caan1餐teng1廳hoi1開zoeng1張go2嗰zan6陣paai4排saai3晒coeng4長lung4龍，ji1依gaa1家bin3變zo2咗san1新si2屎haang1坑laa3喇？
This restaurant had long queues when it opened, has the hype already died down?
Related words
Common phrases
a nine-day wonder; a passing fad
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a new object itself, but rather the temporary enthusiasm people have for it. It is also quite informal and can sound rude if used to describe someone's genuine passion or a serious new project.
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.
