sap6 nin4 m4 fung4 jat1 jeon6十年唔逢一潤十年唔逢一润
Jyutpingsap6 nin4 m4 fung4 jat1 jeon6
Yalesahp nìhn m̀h fùhng yāt yeuhn
Definition
A very rare occurrence; once in a blue moon.
colloquialtimedescriptions
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong sense of surprise or disbelief regarding an event that deviates from someone's usual behavior. It is frequently used to tease friends or colleagues when they do something out of character, such as being generous or punctual. The phrase highlights the extreme rarity of the occurrence by comparing it to a decade-long drought.
Examples
He actually showed up to work on time, that is once in a blue moon.
nei5你ping4平si4時gam3咁haan1慳，gam1今jat6日dim2點gaai2解sap6十nin4年m4唔fung4逢jat1一jeon6潤ceng2請ngo5我sik6食faan6飯？
You are usually so stingy, why are you treating me to a meal for once in a blue moon today?
Related words
Common phrases
truly once in a blue moon
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with standard frequency adverbs, as it is a fixed idiom used specifically to comment on the unexpected nature of an event. It is not used to describe routine but infrequent events like annual holidays.
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.
