妹仔大過主人婆 [－－－过－－－]

Jyutping mui1 zai2 daai6 gwo3 zyu2 jan4 po4
Pinyin mèi zǎi dà guò zhǔ rén pó

Definitions (粵典–words.hk)
  1. 語句
    「​妹仔​」​係​丫鬟​，​「​主人​婆​」​係​屋企​嘅​女主人​，​全句​意思​係​配角​仲巴​閉過​主角​；​引申​指​次要​或​附​屬​嘅​嘢​搶​咗​主要​嘅​嘢​嘅​位置​，​得到​更多​關注​甚至​獲得​更​多​資源​；​可以​用​嚟​形容​人​、​事​、​物
    to have one's priorities backward; for the "lesser" to have stolen the spotlight of the "greater"; a situation where "the tail is wagging the dog"; literally: the maidservant (is) overshadowing her mistress
    • 呢套劇入面，隻狗仲搶鏡過對男女主角，正一妹仔大過主人婆。
      呢套剧入面，只狗仲抢镜过对男女主角，正一妹仔大过主人婆。
      ni1 tou3 kek6 jap6 min6, zek3 gau2 zung6 coeng2 geng3 gwo3 deoi3 naam4 neoi5 zyu2 gok3, zing3 jat1 mui1 zai2 daai6 gwo3 zyu2 jan4 po4.
      The dog outshone the male and female leads on this show. It really stole the spotlight.
    • 佢條裙先幾百蚊，用嚟襯裙嘅頸鍊就成萬蚊，真係妹仔大過主人婆。
      佢条裙先几百蚊，用嚟衬裙嘅颈链就成万蚊，真系妹仔大过主人婆。
      keoi5 tiu4 kwan4 sin1 gei2 baak3 man1, jung6 lai4 can3 kwan4 ge3 geng2 lin2 zau6 seng4 maan6 man1, zan1 hai6 mui1 zai2 daai6 gwo3 zyu2 jan4 po4.
      Her dress costs hundreds, but she accessorised it with a necklace worth ten thousand: a perfect case of misplaced priorities.
    • 俾個新嚟嘅同事坐房，都唔俾間房部門主管，唔係妹仔大過主人婆咩？
      俾个新嚟嘅同事坐房，都唔俾间房部门主管，唔系妹仔大过主人婆咩？
      bei2 go3 san1 lei4 ge3 tung4 si6 co5 fong2, dou1 m4 bei2 gaan1 fong2 bou6 mun4 zyu2 gun2, m4 hai6 mui1 zai2 daai6 gwo3 zyu2 jan4 po4 me1?
      The new employee gets his own office, something not even the department director has. Talk about the tail wagging the dog!
  2. 近義詞
    喧賓奪主
Definitions (Wiktionary)
  1. phrase, Cantonese, idiomatic
    tail wagging the dog; the minor part is dominating the major part
Definitions (Kaifangcidian)
  1. 反客為主 – 反客为主
  2. 喧賓奪主 – 喧宾夺主

妹仔大過主人婆 [－－－过－－－]

Jyutping mui1 zai2 daai6 gwo3 zyu2 jan2 po4
Pinyin mèi zǐ dà guò zhǔ rén pó

Definitions (CC-CANTO)
  1. describes a situation where a person in an inferior position seems to have more authority than his/her superior; literally 'the maid is superior to her lady boss'; acting above one's place; to get one's priorities wrong
Examples (粵典–words.hk)
  1. Cantonese
    呢套剧入面，只狗仲抢镜过对男女主角，正一妹仔大过主人婆。
    呢套劇入面，隻狗仲搶鏡過對男女主角，正一妹仔大過主人婆。
    ni1 tou3 kek6 jap6 min6, zek3 gau2 zung6 coeng2 geng3 gwo3 deoi3 naam4 neoi5 zyu2 gok3, zing3 jat1 mui1 zai2 daai6 gwo3 zyu2 jan4 po4.
    • The dog outshone the male and female leads on this show. It really stole the spotlight.
  2. Cantonese
    佢条裙先几百蚊，用嚟衬裙嘅颈链就成万蚊，真系妹仔大过主人婆。
    佢條裙先幾百蚊，用嚟襯裙嘅頸鍊就成萬蚊，真係妹仔大過主人婆。
    keoi5 tiu4 kwan4 sin1 gei2 baak3 man1, jung6 lai4 can3 kwan4 ge3 geng2 lin2 zau6 seng4 maan6 man1, zan1 hai6 mui1 zai2 daai6 gwo3 zyu2 jan4 po4.
    • Her dress costs hundreds, but she accessorised it with a necklace worth ten thousand: a perfect case of misplaced priorities.
  3. Cantonese
    俾个新嚟嘅同事坐房，都唔俾间房部门主管，唔系妹仔大过主人婆咩？
    俾個新嚟嘅同事坐房，都唔俾間房部門主管，唔係妹仔大過主人婆咩？
    bei2 go3 san1 lei4 ge3 tung4 si6 co5 fong2, dou1 m4 bei2 gaan1 fong2 bou6 mun4 zyu2 gun2, m4 hai6 mui1 zai2 daai6 gwo3 zyu2 jan4 po4 me1?
    • The new employee gets his own office, something not even the department director has. Talk about the tail wagging the dog!
  4. Cantonese
    妹仔大过主人婆
    妹仔大過主人婆
    mui1 zai2 daai6 gwo3 zyu2 jan4 po4
    • to have one's priorities backward; for the "lesser" to have stolen the spotlight of the "greater"; a situation where "the tail is wagging the dog"; literally: the maidservant (is) overshadowing her mistress