tin1 bing1天兵
Definition
Soldiers from heaven, often referring to divine troops in mythology.
How it's used
Originally referring to celestial warriors in mythology, this term has evolved into a common piece of slang for someone who is clumsy, incompetent, or completely oblivious to their surroundings. It carries a sarcastic tone, implying that the person is so disconnected from reality that they might as well have descended from the heavens. It is frequently used in workplace or school settings to describe someone who consistently makes avoidable mistakes.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the literal meaning of celestial soldiers found in fantasy literature or religious texts. In modern casual conversation, it is almost exclusively used as a derogatory label for someone who is slow or unhelpful.
Grammar color guide
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
