taat3 kiu1撻Ｑ挞Ｑ
Jyutpingtaat3 kiu1
Yaletaat kīu
Definition
To miss a golden opportunity, or to make a blunder, especially when success was within reach.
colloquialother
How it's used
Originating from the sport of snooker where it describes a miscue, this term has evolved into a common metaphor for failing at the final hurdle or blowing a sure thing. It carries a sense of frustration or disbelief that someone could fumble a situation that was already within their grasp. It is almost exclusively used in informal settings to describe personal or professional blunders.
Examples
He performed well in the interview, but he messed it up at the last minute.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with general failure, as it specifically implies a failure occurring at the very last moment or when success seemed guaranteed. It is not used for long-term or gradual failure.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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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).
