sau2 tan4 goek3 zan3手揗腳震手揗脚震
Jyutpingsau2 tan4 goek3 zan3
Yalesáu tàhn geuk jan
Definition
Trembling with fear; shaking with hands quivering and legs shaking.
colloquialemotionbody
How it's used
This idiom vividly captures the physical manifestation of extreme fear or nervousness. It functions as an adjective phrase to describe someone who is visibly trembling from head to toe. It is often used in situations involving sudden fright or high pressure.
Examples
I was so scared when I saw that big cockroach, my hands and legs were shaking.
Common phrases
scared to the point of trembling
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with general excitement or shivering from cold, as it specifically implies fear or anxiety. It is also not used to describe a medical condition like Parkinson's disease.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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).
