ziu1 ling6 zik6 goi2朝令夕改
Jyutpingziu1 ling6 zik6 goi2
Yalejīu lihng jihk gói
Definition
To change policies or decisions constantly and unpredictably; to issue an order in the morning and change it by evening.
colloquialworkdescriptions
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong sense of frustration or criticism regarding someone's lack of consistency or poor leadership. It is frequently used in professional or organizational contexts to describe management that lacks a clear direction. While it is a four character idiom, it is fully integrated into spoken Cantonese and does not sound overly formal or literary when used in a complaint.
Examples
Don't keep changing your mind constantly when you work.
Their policies change from morning to night, who can keep up?
Related words
Common phrases
policies changing constantly
working in an inconsistent manner
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a neutral description of flexibility, but it is almost exclusively used to criticize someone for being indecisive or unreliable. Avoid using it to describe positive, necessary adjustments to a plan.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
