bou2 wu6 fai3保護費保护费
Jyutpingbou2 wu6 fai3
Yalebóu wuh fai
Definition
Protection money; extortion payments paid to triad gangs by businesses to avoid harassment or damage.
colloquialmoneyother
How it's used
Refers specifically to illicit payments extorted by criminal syndicates from local businesses. It carries a heavy connotation of fear and intimidation, as the payment is essentially a bribe to avoid being harassed or having one's property damaged. Using this term implies a serious criminal context rather than a legitimate security service.
Measure word
bat1筆bātExamples
That shop has to pay protection money every month.
Related words
Common phrases
to pay protection money
to collect protection money
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with legitimate security fees, which would be called 保安費. Using this term in a casual or professional setting to describe a legal service will sound extremely accusatory or sarcastic.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
