sau2 do1 do1手多多
Jyutpingsau2 do1 do1
Yalesáu dō dō
Definition
To touch or fiddle with things that one should not
colloquialpeopledaily actions
How it's used
Describes a person who cannot keep their hands to themselves, often implying they are meddlesome or prone to breaking things. It is frequently used to scold children or annoying adults who touch items in a shop or on someone else's desk. The term carries a slightly playful yet critical tone, suggesting the behavior is more mischievous than malicious.
Examples
Why are you touching other people's things without permission?
He is always fiddling with things he shouldn't, and now the machine is broken.
Related words
Common phrases
to touch other people's things without permission
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply having many hands, as the phrase is strictly used to describe an annoying habit of touching things. It is not used to describe someone who is physically helpful or busy with manual labor.
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.
