sap6 baat3 bun1 mou5 ngai6十八般武藝十八般武艺
Definition
Versatile and possessing many skills, or literally skilled in the eighteen martial arts.
- highly skilled in the eighteen traditional martial arts
- figurativepossessing many varied skills or abilities
How it's used
Originally referring to the eighteen traditional weapons in Chinese martial arts, this idiom has evolved into a common way to describe someone who is exceptionally versatile or multi-talented. It is frequently used in professional or academic contexts to praise someone who can handle a wide variety of tasks with ease. While it carries a positive connotation of mastery, it can also be used slightly sarcastically when someone is expected to do too many different things at once.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal description of martial arts skills, but it is almost always used metaphorically in daily life to describe general competence or a broad skill set. Avoid using it to describe someone who is merely a beginner at many things, as it implies a high level of proficiency.
Grammar color guide
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.
