zo6 ji5 doi6 bai6坐以待斃坐以待毙
Jyutpingzo6 ji5 doi6 bai6
Yalejoh yíh doih baih
Definition
To sit still and wait for death; to resign oneself to doom without fighting back or finding a solution.
neutraldaily actionsemotion
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong sense of urgency and criticism toward passivity. It is frequently used in professional or serious contexts to urge others to take proactive measures rather than accepting a negative outcome. While it is a four character idiom, it fits naturally into spoken Cantonese sentences when expressing frustration at a lack of initiative.
Examples
How can we just sit here and wait for doom? Let's think of a solution!
Facing this predicament, we absolutely cannot just sit and wait for our doom.
Related words
Common phrases
cannot just sit and wait for doom
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
