Idioms and Metaphors

Here are some commonly used idioms, metaphors and figurative expressions in Cantonese.

	dai gt li si	knock on wood! (used after somebody says something unpleasant or undesirable) Lit. big tangerines and money pockets (gifts used for good luck in the Chinese New Year)
	döü u tan km	say something to somebody who cannot understand    Lit. play the lute before a cow
虎口	sUng yœng yp fu hu	Lit. send a sheep into the mouth of a tiger
	gong2 dzu tin ha mou dIk, dzou dzu mou ln wi lIk	all talk and no action.

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