cat1 kung4 luk6 zyut6七窮六絕七穷六绝
Jyutpingcat1 kung4 luk6 zyut6
Yalechāt kùhng luhk jyuht
Definition
Desperate; in extreme poverty or a hopeless situation.
colloquialmoneywork
How it's used
Originating from the lunar calendar months of the seventh and sixth, this phrase describes a period of extreme financial hardship or low business activity. It is specifically used to characterize economic slumps or times when money is tight. While it carries a sense of desperation, it is almost exclusively applied to market trends or personal financial situations rather than emotional states.
Examples
Business has been desperate lately, it is really a headache.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a general adjective meaning sad or poor, but it is a specific idiom tied to economic cycles and timing. Do not use it to describe a person's mood or general poverty.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
