wu1 gwai1烏龜乌龟
Jyutpingwu1 gwai1
Yalewū gwāi
Definition
A turtle or tortoise; figuratively used to describe a cowardly, irresponsible person.
- a turtle or tortoise
- figurativea cowardly, irresponsible person who shrinks from responsibilities
colloquialanimalspeople
How it's used
Beyond the literal animal, this term is a common insult for someone who lacks courage or avoids responsibility. It is frequently used in the idiom 縮頭烏龜 to describe someone who hides from problems rather than dealing with them. The imagery of the animal pulling its head into its shell is the direct inspiration for this metaphorical usage.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
Don't be a coward, face reality quickly.
Related words
Common phrases
a coward; a person who avoids responsibility
Common mistake
Do not use this word to describe a person who is simply shy or quiet, as it carries a strong negative connotation of being irresponsible or cowardly.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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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.
- 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.
