zeon1 geng2樽頸樽颈
Jyutpingzeon1 geng2
Yalejēun géng
Definition
Bottleneck; a narrow section that causes congestion, or a plateau in one's skills.
- a narrow section of a road or path that easily becomes congested
- a plateau in learning or skill progression that is difficult to overcome
colloquialworkdescriptions
How it's used
Beyond physical traffic, this term is frequently applied to abstract progress, such as career development or learning a new skill. It carries a sense of frustration, implying that despite putting in significant effort, one is stuck and unable to advance further. It is a very common metaphor for any situation where flow or growth is restricted by a narrow point.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
This road is always jammed, it is simply a traffic bottleneck.
I am learning guitar, and it seems like I have hit a plateau recently.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with the literal bottle neck, but in Cantonese, it is almost exclusively used metaphorically for congestion or stagnation. Avoid using it to describe the physical neck of a glass bottle, as that would simply be called 樽口.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
