waa6 tau4 sing2 mei5話頭醒尾话头醒尾
Jyutpingwaa6 tau4 sing2 mei5
Yalewah tàuh síng méih
Definition
To be quick on the uptake; to grasp the whole picture and know what to do from just a brief hint.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This idiom describes someone who grasps the entire situation or logic after hearing only the beginning of an explanation. It is often used as a compliment in professional or learning environments to highlight someone's efficiency and intelligence. It implies the person does not need repetitive instructions to get the job done.
Examples
He is very quick on the uptake; he understood everything after just one explanation.
It is very important to hire an assistant who is quick to understand instructions.
Related words
Common phrases
to hire someone who is quick on the uptake
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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).
