tin4 gai1 gwo3 ho4田雞過河田鸡过河
Jyutpingtin4 gai1 gwo3 ho4
Yaletìhn gāi gwo hòh
Definition
An analogy for everyone fleeing in different directions or going their own way.
colloquialpeopledaily actions
How it's used
This idiom vividly describes a scene where a group of people suddenly disperses, each moving in a different direction to escape or leave. It is often used in situations involving chaos, panic, or simply the end of a gathering where everyone goes their separate ways. The imagery relies on the erratic, jumping movement of frogs when they are startled.
Examples
As soon as they saw the police, the group scattered in all directions.
Once the school bell rings, do the students all scatter in different directions?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe people leaving in an orderly fashion or as a group. It specifically implies a lack of coordination or a sudden, scattered departure.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
