baa3 wong4 caan1霸王餐
Jyutpingbaa3 wong4 caan1
Yaleba wòhng chāan
Definition
A meal eaten at a restaurant without paying, typically by slipping away or refusing to pay.
colloquialfoodmoney
How it's used
This term carries a strong sense of social disapproval and is often used to describe someone who intentionally evades a bill. It is frequently applied in contexts beyond just restaurants, such as using a service without paying or sneaking into a paid event. The imagery of a tyrant or overlord implies an arrogant or entitled attitude from the person who refuses to pay.
Examples
He left immediately after eating without paying.
Don't you even think about dining and dashing.
Related words
Common phrases
to dine and dash
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply forgetting to pay or having a genuine misunderstanding with the bill. It specifically implies a deliberate act of theft or deception.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
