船頭驚鬼，船尾驚賊 [－头惊－－－－惊贼]

Jyutping syun4 tau4 ging1 gwai2 ， syun4 mei5 ging1 caak6
Pinyin chuán tóu jīng guǐ ， chuán wěi jīng zéi

Definitions (Wiktionary)
  1. phrase, Cantonese, idiomatic
    to be timid and fear many things
    (syn.) 船尾慌賊, 畏首畏尾, 船尾慌贼, 船頭慌鬼, 船头慌鬼

船頭驚鬼，船尾驚賊 [－头惊－－－－惊贼]

Jyutping syun4 tau4 geng1 gwai2 syun4 mei5 geng1 caak2
Pinyin chuán tóu jīng guǐ ， chuán wěi jīng zéi

Definitions (粵典–words.hk)
  1. 語句
    比喻​人太過​懦弱​怕事​，​連落​一個​決​定都​怕​得​要死​、​舉旗​不定​。
    to be too cowardly to make a firm decision; to be overcautious; literally: to fear a ghost at the bow and a robber at the stern
    • 靠你帶隊波就死得啦，船頭驚鬼，船尾驚賊咁，少少自信都無又點服眾呢？
      靠你带队波就死得啦，船头惊鬼，船尾惊贼咁，少少自信都无又点服众呢？
      kaau3 nei5 daai3 deoi6 bo1 zau6 sei2 dak1 laa1, syun4 tau4 geng1 gwai2, syun4 mei5 geng1 caak2 gam2, siu2 siu2 zi6 seon3 dou1 mou5 jau6 dim2 fuk6 zung3 ne1?
      It would be a fault to let you lead the team, you are often overcautious, if you can't show some confidence, how can you convince teammates to follow your order?
  2. 近義詞
    生人唔生膽、畏首畏尾

船頭驚鬼，船尾驚賊 [－头惊－－－－惊贼]

Jyutping syun4 tau4 geng1 gwai2, syun4 mei5 geng1 caak6
Pinyin chuán2tou jīng guǐ3 chuán2wei jīng zéi

Definitions (CC-CANTO)
  1. to be too cowardly to make a firm decision [colloquial]
Examples (粵典–words.hk)
  1. Cantonese
    靠你带队波就死得啦，船头惊鬼，船尾惊贼咁，少少自信都无又点服众呢？
    靠你帶隊波就死得啦，船頭驚鬼，船尾驚賊咁，少少自信都無又點服眾呢？
    kaau3 nei5 daai3 deoi6 bo1 zau6 sei2 dak1 laa1, syun4 tau4 geng1 gwai2, syun4 mei5 geng1 caak2 gam2, siu2 siu2 zi6 seon3 dou1 mou5 jau6 dim2 fuk6 zung3 ne1?
    • It would be a fault to let you lead the team, you are often overcautious, if you can't show some confidence, how can you convince teammates to follow your order?