taam4 ho4 jung4 ji6談何容易谈何容易

Jyutpingtaam4 ho4 jung4 ji6

Yaletàahm hòh yùhng yih

語句Uncommon

Definition

Easier said than done

colloquialdescriptions

How it's used

Functioning as a set phrase, this expression highlights the gap between theoretical planning and practical execution. It is often used to temper expectations or to express skepticism when someone proposes an ambitious or idealistic solution to a difficult problem. The tone is typically reflective or slightly cynical, emphasizing the hidden complexities that make a task harder than it sounds.

Examples

soeng2想wan2搵fan6份jan4人gung1工gam3咁gou1高ge3嘅gung1工，taam4談ho4何jung4容ji6易aa4呀。

Finding a job with such a high salary is easier said than done.

jiu3要keoi5佢dei6哋zik1即hak1刻goi2改gwo3過，taam4談ho4何jung4容ji6易le1呢？

Is it really that easy to get them to change their ways immediately?

Common phrases

taam4談ho4何jung4容ji6易aa1吖

it is easier said than done (emphatic)

Common mistake

Learners sometimes mistakenly use this as a direct translation for the English phrase "easy to say," but it specifically carries the nuance of "difficult to achieve." It is not used to describe simple tasks, so avoid applying it to trivial matters where the difficulty is not the primary focus.