zap1 jan4 hau2 seoi2 mei1執人口水尾执人口水尾
Jyutpingzap1 jan4 hau2 seoi2 mei1
Yalejāp yàhn háu séui mēi
Definition
To parrot or repeat what someone else has just said.
colloquialcommunicationpeople
How it's used
This idiom literally translates to picking up the tail of someone's saliva, which vividly captures the annoyance of someone parroting another person's ideas. It carries a strong sense of criticism, implying that the person has nothing original to contribute to the conversation. It is almost exclusively used to call out someone for being unoriginal or redundant.
Examples
Stop repeating what others have just said all the time.
Related words
Common phrases
always repeating what others say
Common mistake
Do not use this phrase to describe someone who is simply agreeing with another person, as it specifically targets the act of repeating the exact same words or points without adding value.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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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.
