sik6 lo4 si1食鏍絲食鏍丝

Jyutpingsik6 lo4 si1

Yalesihk lòh sī

Definition

To stutter, stumble over one's words, or be tongue-tied.

colloquialcommunicationpeople

How it's used

Literally meaning to eat screws, this phrase is a vivid metaphor for when someone's speech becomes mechanical or jammed. It is almost exclusively used to describe temporary speech impediments caused by nervousness or lack of preparation rather than a chronic medical condition. You will often hear it used in professional settings like presentations or during high-pressure interviews.

Examples

keoi5佢jat1一gan2緊zoeng1張zau6就sik6食lo4鏍si1絲，gong2講je5嘢m4唔seon6順。

He stutters whenever he gets nervous and cannot speak fluently.

nei5你sai2使mat1乜gam3咁geng1驚aa4呀？gong2講je5嘢dou1都sik6食lo4鏍si1絲。

Why are you so scared? You are even stuttering while talking.

Common phrases

gan2緊zoeng1張dou3到sik6食lo4鏍si1絲

so nervous that one stutters

gong2講je5嘢sik6食lo4鏍si1絲

to stutter while speaking

Common mistake

Do not use this to describe a permanent speech disorder, as it specifically implies a temporary lapse in fluency due to external factors like anxiety.