toi1 sei2 fuk1 zung1胎死腹中
Jyutpingtoi1 sei2 fuk1 zung1
Yaletōi séi fūk jūng
Definition
To be stillborn; to be abandoned, cancelled, or aborted before even starting.
neutralworkother
How it's used
Used primarily in formal or semi-formal contexts to describe projects, ideas, or proposals that fail to launch. While the literal meaning refers to a medical tragedy, the figurative usage is common in business or political discussions to emphasize that an initiative never reached the implementation stage.
Examples
His startup plan ended up being abandoned before it even started.
Has this event been cancelled before it even began?
Related words
Common phrases
a plan is abandoned before starting
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe a project that failed after it had already started, as the term specifically implies the idea died before birth.
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.
