wan4 san1 gaai2 sou3渾身解數浑身解数
Jyutpingwan4 san1 gaai2 sou3
Yalewàhn sān gáai sou
Definition
One's entire repertoire of skills, strength, and abilities.
neutraldaily actionsdescriptions
How it's used
This idiom describes a situation where someone exhausts every possible trick, talent, or effort to achieve a goal. It carries a sense of dramatic or intense exertion, often implying that the person has reached their absolute limit. While it is a four-character idiom, it is frequently used in spoken Cantonese to describe high-stakes efforts in work or sports.
Examples
He really used all his skills and strength to win the competition.
If you have tried everything you can and still cannot fix it, why not find someone to help?
Related words
Common phrases
to pull out all the stops
to display all one's skills and techniques
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this as a verb phrase on its own, but it functions as an object that requires a preceding verb like 使出 or 施展 to make sense in a sentence.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Grammar guides
- TonesCantonese has six tones, and the tones can change in certain grammatical contexts. Learn the six tones and the rules for tone change.
- Time and datesClock time, days of the week, months, and years. The patterns you need to make plans and talk about when things happen.
- Modal verbsHow to say can, will, may, should, must, and want. The core modal verbs of Cantonese and the differences that trip up beginners.
