落筆打三更 [－笔－－－]

Jyutping lok6 bat1 daa2 saam1 gaang1
Pinyin luò bǐ dǎ sān gēng

Definitions (粵典–words.hk)
  1. 語句
    指人​做事​遲疑​不決​，​到​決定​時​已​經太遲​。​源​自古​時科舉​考試​，​由​於​考題​複​雜​，​往往​寫​一日​一夜​都​未必​能​完成​，​才思​唔​夠​嘅​考生​審題​起草​已經用​咗​一​整日​，​要​去​到​半夜​打響​三​更​先​正式​開始​答卷​。​三​更​即​係​11​:​00​-​01​:​00​午夜​時份​，​睇​埋​打更
    to delay, to hesitate, to be indecisive, to be unable to make up one's mind. The phrase originates from ancient imperial exams. Exam questions were so complex that the exam would take 24 hours to complete; slower candidates would need to think and draft for a whole day's time before starting to write on the official answer sheet around midnight. Literally: start writing at midnight
    • 嗰陣你諗咁耐都唔去買，依家想買結果又賣晒，真係「落筆打三更」，唔得當機立斷。
      𠮶阵你谂咁耐都唔去买，依家想买结果又卖晒，真系「落笔打三更」，唔得当机立断。
      go2 zan6 nei5 nam2 gam3 noi6 dou1 m4 heoi3 maai5, ji4 gaa1 soeng2 maai5 git3 gwo2 jau6 maai6 saai3, zan1 hai6 lok6 bat1 daa2 saam1 gaang1, m4 dak1 dong1 gei1 laap6 dyun6.
      You couldn't make up your mind about whether to buy it last time, and now it's sold out. You're so indecisive!
  2. 語句
    現時常​被​當作​「​落手​打​三​更​」​使用​，​比喻​開局​不順​、​出師​不利​、​一開始​就​做​錯​。
    to do wrongly from the very start, to have a bad start
    • 呢隊波「落筆打三更」，開季第一輪已經連輸三場，睇嚟今季有排捱。
      呢队波「落笔打三更」，开季第一轮已经连输三场，睇嚟今季有排挨。
      ni1 deoi2 bo1 lok6 bat1 daa2 saam1 gaang1, hoi1 gwai3 dai6 jat1 leon4 ji5 ging1 lin4 syu1 saam1 coeng4, tai2 lei4 gam1 gwai3 jau5 paai4 ngaai4.
      The team had a bad start this year. They opened the season with a three-game losing streak; I think they're going to have a hard time for the rest of the season.
  3. 近義詞
    優柔寡斷、猶疑不決
  4. 反義詞
    當機立斷
Examples (粵典–words.hk)
  1. Cantonese
    𠮶阵你谂咁耐都唔去买，依家想买结果又卖晒，真系「落笔打三更」，唔得当机立断。
    嗰陣你諗咁耐都唔去買，依家想買結果又賣晒，真係「落筆打三更」，唔得當機立斷。
    go2 zan6 nei5 nam2 gam3 noi6 dou1 m4 heoi3 maai5, ji4 gaa1 soeng2 maai5 git3 gwo2 jau6 maai6 saai3, zan1 hai6 lok6 bat1 daa2 saam1 gaang1, m4 dak1 dong1 gei1 laap6 dyun6.
    • You couldn't make up your mind about whether to buy it last time, and now it's sold out. You're so indecisive!
  2. Cantonese
    呢队波「落笔打三更」，开季第一轮已经连输三场，睇嚟今季有排挨。
    呢隊波「落筆打三更」，開季第一輪已經連輸三場，睇嚟今季有排捱。
    ni1 deoi2 bo1 lok6 bat1 daa2 saam1 gaang1, hoi1 gwai3 dai6 jat1 leon4 ji5 ging1 lin4 syu1 saam1 coeng4, tai2 lei4 gam1 gwai3 jau5 paai4 ngaai4.
    • The team had a bad start this year. They opened the season with a three-game losing streak; I think they're going to have a hard time for the rest of the season.
  3. Cantonese
    落笔打三更
    落筆打三更
    • start writing in mid-night (means to delay, to hesitate, to be indecisive)