tou1 tou1 bat1 zyut6滔滔不絕滔滔不绝
Jyutpingtou1 tou1 bat1 zyut6
Yaletōu tōu bāt jyuht
Definition
To talk incessantly, like endlessly rushing water.
colloquialcommunicationdescriptions
How it's used
Used primarily to describe someone who speaks with great fluency and enthusiasm, often to the point of being overwhelming for the listener. While it can be used neutrally to praise a good orator, it frequently carries a slightly negative connotation of being long-winded or unable to stop talking. It is a formal idiom that is frequently used in spoken Cantonese to add emphasis to a description of someone's talkativeness.
Examples
Once he starts talking about the old days, he just won't stop.
Related words
Common phrases
to talk incessantly
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe physical movement or literal water flow, as it is strictly reserved for human speech. It is also not a verb on its own and usually requires a verb like 講 or 講嘢 to function naturally in a sentence.
Grammar color guide
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Verb
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Adverb
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- How oftenUsually, sometimes, all the time, rarely, never. All five sit in one slot, between the subject and the verb.
- 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.
