sau2 mou5 zuk1 dou6手舞足蹈
Jyutpingsau2 mou5 zuk1 dou6
Yalesáu móuh jūk douh
Definition
To dance for joy; to wave one's hands and feet in great excitement.
colloquialemotiondescriptions
How it's used
This idiom describes an extreme, visible display of excitement or happiness that is almost uncontrollable. While it is a four-character idiom, it is frequently used in casual spoken Cantonese to describe someone who is literally jumping around or gesturing wildly due to intense joy. It carries a slightly humorous or exaggerated tone when used to tease someone for overreacting.
Examples
After hearing the good news, he was dancing for joy.
Do you have to be so dramatic, dancing for joy like that?
Related words
Common phrases
so happy that one is dancing for joy
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal description of a dance performance. It specifically refers to the involuntary physical expression of joy, not a choreographed or intentional dance.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
