List

Teochew en idioms 01

  1. ngou5(7) chai2(6) ngiao1 oi6(7) gio3(5) bhoi6(7) ga6 五彩貓會叫𠁞咬 [their bark is worse than their bite]
  2. san1 chek4 yi6(7) jap8(4) ek4 三七二十一 [3 x 7 = 21, simple or obvious]
  3. tai5(7) si2 bho5(7) hueh4 刣死無血 [a cold-hearted person]
  4. ga1 gi7 nang5 pah4(8) si2 bho5(7) siang1 gang1 家己儂拍死無相幹 [A idiom about Teochew unity]
  5. do1 joih8(4) eng3(5) chai3 刀截蕹菜 [both sides get nothing, no-win situation]
  6. bain2(6) ou1 bain2(6) beh8 反烏反白 [to change one's mind frequently, wishy-washy]
  7. tian1 pang1 pin7 chao3 聼芳鼻臭 [hearing what one wants, despite the truth]
  8. bang3(5) pui3 m6(7) gan6 jo3(5) pui3(5) ju2 放屁唔敢做屁主 [errors are hard to admit to]
  9. u6(7) chui3 bho5(7) sim1 有嘴無心 [all talk; to bullshit]
  10. bho5(7) ian6 bho5(7) jiah4 無影無跡 [to be untrue, have no basis in reality]
  11. kao3(5) be6 kao3(5) bho2 哭父哭母 [to complain, to cause a ruckus]
  12. jao2(6) bho5(7) lou7 走無路 [no way out]
  13. ghua7 ngia2 lai6(7) chao3 外雅內臭 [beautiful exterior, ugly interior]
  14. gah4(8) nang7 gian5(7) gah4(8) nang7 lou7 各儂行各儂路 [to each their own]
  15. tian1 gue3 m6(7) yu5(7) toin2 toin2 gue3 m6(7) yu5(7) jo3 jo3 gue3 m6(7) yu5(7) cho3 聽過唔如睇睇過唔如做做過唔如錯 [no pain no gain]
  16. hai7 nang7 hai7 ga1 gi7 害儂害家己 [to hurt others is to hurt yourself]
  17. dan3(5) lai5 dan(5) ke3 呾來呾去 [to speak in circles, to speak long-windedly, garrulous, much ado about nothing]
  18. ho2(6) tao5 m6(7) yu5(7) ho2(6) bhue2 好頭唔如好尾 [a good ending is better than a good start]
  19. dua7 jo3(5) dua7 soi3 jo3(5) soi3 大做大細做細 [everyone in their place]
  20. deu5(7) san1 giah4(8) si3 除三揭四 [making exception after exception]
  21. dang6(7) gu2 jian3(5) u6 等久正有 [good things come to those who wait]
  22. ain3(5) men2 do3(5) mang7 慾猛倒慢 [a watched pot never boils]
  23. gian6(7) gian6 leng5 bho5(7) gian6(7) jeng1 件件能無件精 [ok at everything, great at nothing]
  24. bho5(7) sian1 bho5(7) sek4 無聲無息 [silent, obscure, radio silent]
  25. m6(7) san1 m6(7) si3 唔三唔四 [inappropriate; neither here nor there]
  26. bho5(7) li2(6) bho5(7) iu5 無理無由 [no rhyme or reason, for no reason]
  27. sek4(8) gao3(5) bek4 識到𤷗 [too smart for your own good, smart to a fault, scheming]
  28. sing1 dang1 si1 ho2(6) bang3(5) sai2 sing1 chu3(5) bin1 ho2(6) io6(7) bai2 新東司,好放屎,新厝邊,好搖擺 [A new bathroom is good for taking a dump, a new neighbor is good for move back and forth]
  29. heung1 lah8(4) bho2(6) heh4 欣腊*吓 [all messed up, screwed up]
  30. diam7 huang1 jen6(7) neung7 恬風靜浪 [calm and quiet]
  31. u6(7) ian2(6) u6(7) jiah4 有影有跡 [clear, logical, well-thought out]
  32. gui2(6) leng5(7) sian3(5) bho2 鬼龍聖母 [everyone has their own limits? to be too much, go to far, go beyond what is proper]
  33. bu1 lo5(7) kok4(8) ka3 **** [many different kinds of things?]