sat1 zuk1失足
Jyutpingsat1 zuk1
Yalesāt jūk
Definition
To lose one's footing, slip, or lose balance and fall; to make a misstep in life.
- to lose one's footing or balance and fall from a high place
- figurativeto make a moral misstep, commit a blunder, or go astray
neutraldaily actionshealth
How it's used
Primarily used in formal or literary contexts to describe a physical fall or a metaphorical moral failure. In everyday spoken Cantonese, people prefer using 跣腳 for physical slipping, while 失足 carries a more serious or dramatic weight. It is frequently seen in news reports regarding accidents or tragic events.
Examples
He was careless walking and slipped into the water.
Be careful when hiking, don't lose your footing.
Related words
Common phrases
to fall from a building
a single slip leads to eternal regret
Common mistake
Avoid using this in casual conversation to describe a minor slip on a wet floor, as it sounds overly formal and dramatic. Use 跣腳 instead for common household or street accidents.
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.
