syu6 daai6 jau5 fu1 zi1樹大有枯枝树大有枯枝
Jyutpingsyu6 daai6 jau5 fu1 zi1
Yalesyuh daaih yáuh fū jī
Definition
A big organization or group will inevitably have some bad people in it; literally, a big tree has dead branches.
colloquialpeopleother
How it's used
This idiom is frequently used to excuse or explain the presence of corrupt or incompetent individuals within a large, otherwise reputable organization. It shifts the focus away from the institution itself, suggesting that such negative elements are a natural, unavoidable byproduct of scale rather than a failure of the system. It is often employed in defensive contexts to protect the reputation of a group or company.
Examples
The company is so big, and just like a big tree has dead branches, it is inevitable to have some black sheep.
nei5你m4唔hou2好jan1因wai6為jat1一loeng5兩go3個jan4人zau6就fau2否ding6定seng4成gaan1間gung1公si1司，syu6樹daai6大jau5有fu1枯zi1枝aa4呀maa3嘛。
Don't judge the whole company just because of one or two people, you know how it is, every big organization has its bad apples.
Related words
Common phrases
every big organization has its bad apples
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
